Prognosticator,
There sure are problems between JDK versions, but I think (not sure) that 1.2 (or JAva 2 as its called) is going to settle down for embedded for a while.
Remember that dynamic class loading works currently (since Java supports Java class loaders as part of its API), and so provided the Java designer creates the required infrastructure on the device, it becomes very easy to add in new functionality, provided the new classes match the Java enviroment (the JDKs match). For example, imagine amobile phone which one week down loads a dating service complete with GIFs, and next week some sort of phone directory service,etc.
Anyways, by the time JINI enabled devices are in production levels, I suspect that a lot of other issues will have been thrashed out.
For RTOSes, WIND is number one as you say, but they are still basically paying lip service to Java, since Sun's VM (licensed by WIND) does not scale down very well at the moment, nor does it perfrom for dynamic stuff.
Also, the major commercial RTOSes sell into a tiny percentage (4% ??) of the embedded market ... well over 90% is untapped, where smaller companies are doing homegrown stuff. If someone got their act together to produce a cheap enough RTOS for this segment, and if someone else had a nice portable Java platform which could be retargetted for said OS and new processors in a timely manner, then perhaps Java becomes a lot more prominent. Who comes to mind for the Java bit ... INSGY !!!! They could probably do the RTOS as well, but that's not their business line.
As for Windows and dll's ... it/they are a pain the proverbials.
Happy hunting
Javaaah. |
