Hi John,
Yes, I've noticed. I know you're evaluating JBoss. I downloaded the standard edition of lava to my Linux Desktop. I have evaluated NetBean by downloading it and working through the example color switching app.
I have recently download Eclipse IDE by IBM. I have just started taking a look at it. It's a kind of neat IDE. Anyone can write a lava plugin for it. There is a company that has written a C# plugin for Eclipse so I can work with C# or Java at the same time under Linux. Using C# with the Eclipse IDE under Linux is pretty raw, and doesn't provide much beyond syntax coloring. Strangely, Eclipse provides more functionality under Windows that Linux. According to the doc, you can download the Dot Net Foundation (e.g. 130 megs) and then use Eclipse as your IDE for writing C# Dot Net apps which would save a grand if VS.NET were otherwise required. It really a nice IDE, but I'm conflict between it and Komodo which also works with C#, but for syntax coloring only.
In Komodo using perl I get syntax coloring, ability to compile and run code in the IDE, breakpoint where I can step through code while watching variables, an I can get the program called stack. Essentially Komodo give me everything in perl that I have in the VFP IDE. If mono or Dot Net really get hot, I would expect complete C# functionality to be added to Komodo.
Java has a lot of very nice features, but seem overly complex. However, it appears to provide the latest in direct access to SQL 92/99 compliant back end via the lava API using JDBC.
I noticed that dot net is also headed in this direction using the Dot Net API to access a back end as opposed to OLEDB or ODBC.
Here more info:
http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/jdbc/index.htmlRegards,
LelandJ
