However, Borland is distancing itself from attempts by other ISVs to significantly grow numbers of Java developers in the industry through use of similar visual programming tools.
Borland is expected to announce JBuilder X, version 10, updating the market-leading IDE with graphical, drag-and-drop development techniques in a range of areas. The company claimed more than 100 new features following customer feedback.
Visual-based development is applied to the construction of Java interfaces via Struts, Java web services with an assembler that automates the generation of SOAP and WSDL, and an editor to compensate for differences between Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) application servers such as security when deploying code.
In fact, JBuilder introduces customization enabling developers to code for a range of scenarios inside the same IDE but without a cluttered interface.
Configurable personalities enable developers to hide features they don’t need when building a web service such as, for example, the J2EE deployment designer.
Borland is not alone in introducing drag-and-drop to Java. Others have done so, in an attempt to seduce Visual Basic programmers disillusioned with Microsoft Corp’s [MSFT] Visual Basic.NET. Most notably, partner BEA Systems Inc [BEA] launched WebLogic Workshop featuring drag-and-drop to win-over Visual Basic programmers.
Sun Microsystems Inc [SUNW], meanwhile, this year seized on drag-and-drop in Project Rave, to help expand the number of Java programmers to 10 million through simplified programming.
Borland’s heritage, though, is code-centric programmers and the company indicated nothing has changed with JBuilder X; it is not seeking Visual Basic converts. Instead it is trying to make professional Java developers more productive.
The company, though, does seek to become more pervasive. To the list of application servers JBuilder X deploys to, that includes BEA, IBM Corp [IBM], Sun, Oracle Corp [ORCL], Sybase Inc [SY] and Borland’s own EAS, comes open source J2EE platform JBoss.
JBoss’ lack of price means the application server has become a popular environment for developers to test code prior to roll-out. JBuilder X increased Borland’s potential appeal among those these individuals.
Additionally, JBuilder Personal Edition is renamed JBuilder X Foundation Edition, and can be used to develop commercial applications, unlike Personal Edition that was restricted in use. Foundation Edition is now open to VARS who can redistribute the suite with their own software, increasing Borland’s footprint.
JBuilder X Foundation Edition includes an editor, debugger and basic Swing interface but lacks Struts, JSP and more complex J2EE capabilities in the full edition.
Borland is also today expected to announce more than 80 plug-ins to the Swing-based Open Tools framework that underpins JBuilder X, from ISVs including Altova, Crystal Decisions, Oracle, salesforce.com, Sun and Sybase.
This article was based on material originally published by ComputerWire.
