Sorry, but I like the idea of JCP and especially the JSRs

After yesterdays reactions about the Guice post, I though about my opinion about the jcp.org process and resulting JSRs. I have to admit ...I like it very much, some reasons why:

I started with Java long before JSR-1. And it was chaos. There were many middleware vendors - it was even impossible to deploy event a servlet to different "appservers" without a modification of some property files (do you remember the Java Web Server and Jigsaw?).
JSRs come with the specification - which is a great resource for learning more about the technology, and often free reference implementation, with that you can try things without buying a product.
JCP process is open, so everyone can participate. If you have something to contribute, change or improve - go for it! The participation is free for individuals.
Most of JSRs are supported by many vendors, so after release of a certain JSRs, often even before the final release, many products are available. This is good for our customers (I'm a consultant, freelancer), because they can choose different, mostly compatible (nothing is perfect) products.
I know some Expert Group Members and JSR-Leaders, all of them are bright and talented people. Chances are very high, that if you participate in the construction of a JSR you will learn something new - which is the key benefit.
JSR is a democratic process - so it's inherently slow. This is good, because it makes the APIs more stable over time. This is not always true for "home-grown" frameworks :-).
Because the industry invests in the development of JSRs, it promotes the products (sometimes with funny buzzwords :-)), but the result is: many books, articles, trainings and ressources.
For developer it is easier to focus on the most important technologies first. JSRs are more likely to become a part of Java ME, SE or EE.
Strong JCP is huge advantage over the "non-java" competition.
More and more luminaries participate in the JCP process now, after beeing very successful in the opensource space.

JCP is not perfect, but there is even a "meta-level" which defines the process itselt - so even this can be changed... If you have a good idea - JCP gives you the unique chances to change even a industry standard... I also started my own JSR 5 years ago, which was similar to JSR 296 or the Swing Application Framework. I had to withdrawn it because of "politics" - but it's real life :-)

Comments:

Hi Adam,

you mentioned: "The participation is free for individuals"

Well... this is correct, but who of us is as individual as the rules
for individuals in JCP claim?

Most of us are working in a company, have some ideas and like to share
these ideas with the community.

Even if you do this in your spare time - the rules for
individuals bar this, because you then may not use your "intellectual
benefit" in your job.

This is what jcp.org say: "...nor can you share with your employer
anything that you learned within the JCP..."

But this is, what most of us like to do: Use the JCP to do a better job!

Well...

And beside this, not all companies are happy to spend $5k a year...

So it's not as easy to participate as you mentioned...

Posted by Robert on June 14, 2007 at 05:06 PM CEST #

Hi Robert,

1. I'm a one men show - so I'm a real individual - no problem here :-).
2. This is what jcp.org say: "...nor can you share with your employer anything that you learned within the JCP..."
But I think it is an ancient limitation, which cannot be hold. Many of the newer JSRs are totally open, event the mailing-lists. So even the whole community learns something :-)
3. I participate just for fun. Especially, if something in Java bugs me - I try it to improve.

thank you very much for your comment!!!
adam

Posted by Adam Bien on June 14, 2007 at 07:53 PM CEST #