[PJUG Javamail] Mobile Dev Rap Battle: Native Code vs. Web Apps

[Richard Johnson]

Kai said:

" Someone showed this very entertaining video in the 
" InnoTech Conference - Mobile Dev Rap Battle: Native
" Code vs. Web Apps
"
" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fchbLzwtexk
" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqx2tbHAYPk
"
" Sharing it here. Also hope to start a discussion 
" thread on Java's roles in mobile computing world.
" How significant is Java in the app dev for the 
" major mobile computing platforms, (iPhone / iPad,
"  Android, Blackberry, Nokia Symbian and WebOS etc)?

First, how was the conference?

Second, "Sure kid.  Why do you think we call it 'code'?"  :-)  You can
always get better performance with native code, but you will always get
better portability with byte code.  You can always do more (and more
clever) things by writing for the device, but for security you can't
really share that information or be controlled/influenced by server-side
information.  You can always get better behavior with TCP-style
control-by-control communication between the UI and the server, but your
customers might have closed all those ports so you're stuck with HTTP.  

Manufacturers want to lock developers into a particular tool set,
because then they can get monopoly rent.  Ultimately they'll get fewer
applications that way.  That model sort of works in some world-views.
Think about Nintendo games and Microsoft anything.  OTOH, android is
wide open and already has tons of apps.  Granted not all of them are
"high quality" but ... they exist and are (more or less) usable.

When you design applications you make tradeoffs.  Security/speed/ease or
speed/portability/reusability for instance.  That's why Java will be a
major player in handhelds for at least another five years (IMO.)  

 ... and they say software isn't really engineering.  :-)
-- 
Richard Johnson
I do not speak for Chrome.  Anyone who thinks I might is deluded and
needs help.