Enterprise Java update readied

The enterprise version of the Java programming language is expected to get a boost this week, with approval of the Java EE (Enterprise Edition) 5 specification anticipated from the Java Community Process, according to a representative at Sun Microsystems.

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Release of the actual code for Java EE 5 is due in the same timeframe as the JavaOne technical conference in San Francisco, which begins on May 16.

Accelerating Java development is a key theme of version 5. Sun will conduct a technical preview of Java EE 5 this Thursday in Menlo Park, Calif., with participation from Java licensees BEA Systems, IBM, JBoss, Oracle, and SAP.

The new version supports:
* JavaServer Faces 1.2, for Web application development

* EJB (Enterprise JavaBeans) 3.0, which is the latest version of the EJB technology for developing distributed, transactional, and portable applications on Java

* Java Persistence APIs, for mapping Java objects onto relational databases

* Compliance with updated specifications for building Web services, including JAX-WS 2.0 (Java API for XML-based Web Services) and JAXB 2.0 (Java Architecture for XML Binding)

"I would say that this brings some cutting edge technologies to Java and really confirms that this has matured in terms of a technology, said analyst Shawn Willett at Current Analysis. "I would also say that the more open process involved with this has helped both ISVs and users get a feel for the technology and contribute where they can, ensuring that it will likely have a faster uptake than J2EE 1.4 did."

Sun, however, has not made any new decisions on whether to open-source the Java programming language, something it has declined to do in the past. "There has been no discussion on open-sourcing of Java at this time," the Sun representative said.