Re: Java or C++?
On Apr 21, 8:45 pm, Razii <whatever1...@hotmail.com> wrote:
On Mon, 21 Apr 2008 09:04:54 -0700 (PDT), James Kanze
<james.ka...@gmail.com> wrote:
As for where Java dominates, one of the most significant uses
of Java is for Server Side web programming, Servlets, JSP and
EJB.
Definitly. First, of course, it's what the various frameworks
(Apache, BEA, WebSphere, etc.) support directly---there's
nothing like good environment support to make a language look
good. But such applications also usually conform to the type of
thing Java is good at: each program is small (so programming in
the large issues aren't relevant), the programs tend to be very
dynamic, written quickly, and not maintained for any long period
of time, and reliability isn't the first criteria---the programs
themselves don't manage any of the critical corporate data.
Generally, I tend to use Java when the program isn't managing
data, but presenting it. I've yet to find an equivalent of
Swing in C++, and of course, Java's libraries have a lot of
classes designed to integrate the program into a web
environment, and to facilitate communication with the programs
which actually manage the data. While our servers are 100% C++,
the monitor programs which display their various states are in
Java: a GUI, communicating with about 10 different servers,
displaying the links between them, and their states, but not
providing any critical functionality. The servers, on the other
hand, are not allowed to fail, and must ensure transactional
integrity of the data. So they're written in C++. (They're
still small enough that the program size issue probably wouldn't
exclude Java, but I've worked on much larger servers where it
would also have played a role.)
Embedded devices Cell phones, PDAs and set-top boxes.
Most cell phones run Symbian, I believe. Which is written in
C++, and provides the system API in C++. And typically, the
critical functionality (call handling, handover, etc.) will be
written in C++. Java is used for the games, and the flashy
interface.
Most real applications consist of more than one "program", and
will contain code written in several different languages.
Mobile Information Devices Profile (MIDP) uses Java run time
environment in cell phones, mobile tracking systems and other
traditional PDA devices. Java enabled application is key to the games
and services available in the mobile world. Designed for cell phones,
the Mobile Information Device Profile boasts GUI API, and MIDP 2.0
includes a basic 2D gaming API. Applications written for this profile
are called MIDlets. Almost all new cell phones come with a MIDP
implementation, and it is now the de facto standard for downloadable
cell phone games.
Exactly. For cell phone *games*. The critical functionality
isn't written in Java. And almost nothing in the cells
themselves will be written in Java (at least not here in
Europe).
GOOGLE is introducing a custom version of its Gmail email
service that can run on any phone with Java software.
Database:
Java is used in database programming with JDBC. Oracle embed
Java virtual machines into the heart of their Database
systems.
No. Java interfaces with the databases using JDBC. The actual
"language" involved is SQL (and that works just as well in
C++---unlike the case with GUIs, some of the C++ libraries for
interfacing with databases are actually pretty good, where as
JDBC is rather ordinary). The database itself is almost
certainly not written in Java.
Again: Java provides the flashy but non-critical front end, and
the parts which have to work are written in C++ (or, in the case
data bases, for historical reasons, still largely in C).
--
James Kanze (GABI Software) email:james.kanze@gmail.com
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