Sun releases Java SE 6

Sun Microsystems has released version 6 of its Java Standard Edition programming language for desktop applications, but says the code will be released under the open source General Public Licence (GPL) only next year.

According to Computing, the technology supports Microsoft's Windows Vista operating and implements Java Specification Request 270. The request adds enhancements to help developers to create applications more easily, add graphics and attach performance-monitoring tools.

In an attempt to prove Java does not discriminate against scripting languages, Java SE 6 comes bundled with the Rhino JavaScript engine. Rhino is an open source JavaScript implementation written in Java and developed by the Mozilla Foundation. It is designed for use in applications rather than Web browsers.

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Iona Technology has criticised IBM and Tibco for their Java-centric approach to service-oriented architecture (SOA), reports TechWorld.

Iona says the market needs an SOA framework that is independent of the transport, of software platforms such as J2EE or .Net, and of the hardware. Iona has also dismissed as untrue Tibco's claims that its new ActiveMatrix software is the first neutral and independent SOA platform.

Iona also says anyone choosing an SOA framework needs to ask if they can adopt technology dynamically to enable them to plug in or upgrading components on the fly. However, Tibco insists that the underlying transport mechanism of ActiveMatrix is pluggable.

Fortify Software has introduced a free service that will scan open source Java software for bugs in the code, reports TechWorld.

According to the report, the Java Open Review project (JOR) enables open source projects run audits of their source code using Fortify's source code analysis software and the University of Maryland's FindBugs tool.

Although not as comprehensive as Fortify's commercial product, the JOR analysis details about 40 categories of software security problems. Fortify says these include the most important types of security vulnerabilities and the types that developers tend to understand most readily.

Alcatel-Lucent says open standards are key to taking on rival Microsoft in the Internet protocol television (IPTV) market, which the company expect to grow to 40% of traffic on IP networks by 2010, reports InfoWorld.

John Giere, chief marketing officer at Alcatel-Lucent, says many operators don't want to be overly dependent on Microsoft, which offers a proprietary system. In contrast, Alcatel-Lucent is developing open APIs (application protocol interfaces).

Giere says the idea is to have Java-based client software that can be enabled across multiple devices. He says Alcatel-Lucent is also working with several standards bodies to help establish standards for IPTV-related technology.