> Why would I want to continue another minute developing web products using
> Netdynamics?
Several reasons.
NetDynamics is the fastest, most robust Java application server ever
built. Frankly, if you can find anything out there as good as
NetDynamics right now, switch to it and let me know what it is.
> I have just recommended termination of further development on our project
> using Netdynamics because the risks are too great that we would have to
> rewrite the entire project with some future, unproven iPlanet tool. Our
For the future, NetDynamics and Kiva will be merged and named the
Sun/Netscape iPlanet Application Server. This is all very well proven
technology-- Kiva is blazingly fast and scalable at non-Java code, and
NetDynamics is blazingly fast and scalabe at pure Java code, so you will
get the best of both worlds. I want to be very clear that there is no
"miracle code" coming out of nowhere-- both servers have been used
thoroughly by the largest customers in the world, in mission-critical
environments, for years.
Yes, there will be issues of combining code, various event models, J2EE
support, and so on. These are challenges for us at Sun, and may take
us some time to iron out, but we absolutely will not put out a bad or
defective product. Try putting yourself in our shoes: we are combining our
two largest most important groups of customers, so we are going to be
very, very careful about delivering a top-notch new server.
We have two solid engineering teams that have worked together for years,
and everyone is staying on board. Sun is absolutely committed to building
the new Application Server, and Sun has the strength to make it the de
facto industry standard.
For comparison, companies like WebLogic have very good app servers,
and may be a bit ahead of us on future technologies like J2EE.
If J2EE is crucially important to you right now, you may want to
look at WebLogic. However, I would never bet my business on BEA
the WebLogic parent company, and I would question BEA salespeople
very carefully on why all BEA/WebLogic employees are quitting.
> our business plan can not afford this expense and uncertainty.
> Are we making the wrong business and technical decision?
I think it would be wise to asses the real risks. First, ND5 will continue
to be supported for years, so your existing code will continue to work.
Next, Sun will combine ND and Kiva, both of which are proven app servers,
built by proven engineering teams. There is some risk that it will take us
a little longer to do it carefully and prudently, so if you need to be on
the absolute bleeding edge, you may want to look at other products.
Finally, the worst-case risk for you is that Sun will totally screw things
up, and the iPlanet appserver will be a disaster. Even if this happens,
you will still be using Java, still be building portable business logic
objects, still be migrating toward JavaBeans, EJB, Servlets, JSP, and the
rest of J2EE.
In case it's relevant, I have evaluated the iPlanet source code and the
engineers, and I am extremely impressed with iPlanet-- and I don't say
that lightly. I'm a tech guy, not a marketing guy, so I can say with
confidence that the iPlanet team is very skilled and has solid software.
Do keep emailing me with questions, comments, etc.
and I'll be sure that people at the Alliance see them.
Also, talk to your sales reps and let them know how you feel,
and that you need more information about the future of ND.
Cheers,
Joel Henderson
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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