The following is a press release from Sun on the final official release of Java SE 6:
Sun Announces Revolutionary Version of Java Technology - Java Platform Standard Edition 6
Major Release Provides Significant Enhancements for Web Services and Web 2.0 Development and Support for Dynamic Languages, Windows Vista and NetBeans Tools
LONDON–December 11, 2006–Sun Microsystems, Inc. (NASDAQ: SUNW), the creator of Java and Solaris software and the world’s leading contributor of open source code, today announced the availability of Java Platform Standard Edition 6 (Java SE 6). The Java SE 6 release is the result of over two years of industry-wide development involving open review, weekly builds and extensive collaboration between Sun engineers and over 330 external developers. Developers interested in getting started immediately with the Java SE 6 release can leverage the new NetBeans™ Integrated Development Environment (IDE) 5.5, which fully supports all the latest features of the Java SE 6 platform.
Java SE 6 software makes development easier, faster and more cost-efficient and delivers enhanced functionality for web services, dynamic language support, diagnostics, and desktop applications. In addition, over 160 companies worked with Sun and tested their Java technology-based applications on the Java SE 6 platform to help ensure compatibility, stability and optimum performance for the Java SE 6 release. Backward compatibility of Java SE 6 with previous versions of the platform preserves the skill sets of current Java software developers and protects Java technology investments. In-depth information and technology downloads for the Java SE 6 release are available at: http://java.sun.com/javase/6 .
The powerful combination of the new Java SE 6 release and the NetBeans 5.5 IDE provides developers with a reliable, open and compatible, high-performance framework for delivering Java technology-based applications faster and easier than ever before. The NetBeans IDE provides an open source, high performance, modular, extensible, multi-platform Java IDE to accelerate the development of Java SE 6 software-based applications and web services. The NetBeans IDE is available for download along with the Java SE 6 platform at http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads , or separately at http://www.netbeans.org .
Web 2.0
The Java SE 6 software helps accelerate developer innovation for web-based, dynamic and online collaboration applications by including a new framework and developer APIs to allow mixing of Java technology with dynamically typed languages, such as PHP, Python, Ruby and JavaScript™ technology. Sun has also created a collection of scripting engines at: http://scripting.dev.java.net and pre-configured the Rhino JavaScript engine in the Java SE 6 platform. In addition, the Java SE 6 software includes a full web services client stack and supports the latest web services specifications, such as JAX-WS 2.0, JAXB 2.0, STAX and JAXP.Diagnostics, Monitoring, and Management
The Java SE 6 platform provides expanded tools for diagnosing, managing and monitoring applications and also includes support for the new NetBeans Profiler 5.5 and for Solaris™ DTrace, a comprehensive dynamic tracing framework for the Solaris 10 Operating System (OS). In addition, the Java SE 6 software further increases ease of development with tool interface updates for the Java Virtual Machine (JVM™) and the Java Platform Debugger Architecture (JPDA).Enterprise Desktop
The Java SE 6 release delivers significant improvements to the desktop, which enable Java applications to integrate even more seamlessly into the end-user experience. For rapid visual development of interactive applications, the Java SE 6 platform includes a new layout manager component, based on the NetBeans GUI Builder (formerly code named Matisse). The Java SE 6 software also provides enhanced support for the upcoming version of Windows Vista.Developer Support and Services
Developers using the Java SE 6 platform or Sun Developer Tools and technologies to leverage the Java SE 6 release, can get support through Sun Developer Services - Sun’s complete line of developer how-to help, product support and updates, and training and certification programs ( http://developers.sun.com/services ). For the Java SE 6 release, Sun is offering a special promotion for 60 days of unlimited support for Java SE 6 software, free of charge, through Sun Developer Expert Assistance. Sun Java MultiPlatform (JMP) Support offers end-to-end, mission critical Java technology support for customers with heterogeneous computing environments and helps to optimize application performance and reduce risk. In addition to the existing one year offering, Sun is now offering new three year subscription pricing for JMP Support to help customers lower costs. Sun Developer Network Program (SDN) members can also get a 10 percent discount on the new Java SE 6 technology training course. Developers are encouraged to join the SDN , at no cost, by registering online at: http://developers.sun.com/register .
What is the deal with Java version numbers? Java 6 is actually 1.6, but why?
As I understand it this started as a marketing simplification with Java 5 (1.5). Anyone from Sun care to clarify?
I think it will 6.0 not 1.6.
AFAIK, Java2 was Java 1.2, 1.3 and 1.4. It was time for Sun to get a grip of the Java naming so 1.5 became Java5 which is the name standard from now on.
The major feature of Java SE 6 is improvement in performance and support for Web 2.0, PHP, Python, Ruby. Also its targettted to be best suitable with Windows Vista. It seemed to me that Sun could
have announed it as a Java SE 5.1 instead of Java SE 6 considering the major feature additions in JDK 1.4 and Java SE 5.
-- Ashik