I hear what you are saying - but what is the business model? IIRC Borland tried to sell commercial Linux apps without success. I'm not sure if Oracle do any client-type apps but off the top of my head I can't think of any company that are doing it. I'm sure I am wrong but it seems to me that the Linux user base are reluctant to pay for Software - they would rather wait for a community supported FOSS version to come out. Yes I am generalising but that has been my experience.

I remember watching a show on television about doctor's salaries. One of the MD Union guys said, "Hey we pay athletes millions of dollars to hit a small white ball around, so paying 100K for a life saving operation shouldn't be too ridiculous." what's my point? Well, it all comes down to "money". I used to think that those "Learn to program in 24 Hours" books were the worst thing that could have happened to our industry because it has allowed "cowboys" to enter the business and run-a-muck (you wouldn't build a house after reading a "Learn to build a house in 24 hrs" book right?). But then I remembered how I have used short articles and "dummies" books to quickly stick something together to meet a need or a deadline - and I had to because of MONEY!!! Employers have deadlines and need results and they push us to "whip something together". They are not academic institutes that care about the protocol for SOAP etc they just want you to link to that server and grab that info. It seems to me that there is a place for the "technician" and the "academic" in this world. In my experience it has only been with the advent of "architects" that more time and money is spent on proper planning, design etc. I think that it is a good development for the industry and I hope to see more of it, but no matter how much academics jump up and down and rant about this stuff - if there is no buy-in from the business side nothing is going to change. And as long as they can make a buck off of quick-fixes there will be no buy-in.

Hmmm ... interesting. I have nothing against Java applets per se, but whenever I wanted to get them to intereact with the OS I had to jump through all sorts of hoops with certs and permission files and whatever (was a while ago can't remember too much). So does your company's applet have the option to print, save etc ...? becuase that is where it started getting really tricky for me. The reason I ask is that I have an idea for a really cool RIA and I was wondering if a Java Applet was still a viable option these days?

Very cool indeed - thanks dude I will try that.

Thanks for that. That is a good business model. On the question of Logos however, do you outsource or do you do them yourself? What about the other graphics stuff (backgrounds, icons, side bars etc?) I am like you - I like the scripting but man I just cannot do the whole graphic thing - I need to do a course or something because it really is a serious limitation factor. One way that I have found to deal with the problem is to partner with a freelance graphic designer that I pull in on the job. I then pay them exactly what I would have been paid for the hour to make the logo and then charge it back to the client - but it would be good to be able to do that myself.

I wonder if - by that same measure - we could say that a canon, or nuclear weapon by itself is not a weapon of terror. After all if it just sits there and does nothing then it is not scary right? But if the person applies it for the purpose of instilling fear or terror then it becomes a terrorist weapon. Could I not apply the same argument to a computer? A car? A cell phone? In and of itself it is nothing but how it is applied and used is the "cause" of the terror. So then a computer can be a terrorist weapon. I know that it is a cheasy example but to save typing space - Die Hard 4 - computers as weapons of terror? yes / No?

I think that it comes down to a business decision. Creating brand awareness, gaining market penetration etc. In these markets it seems that "days count". Get the "acronym", or prduct name or whatever out there - create a buzz - get some interest and momentum behind the idea and add features as you go. I for one applaud Sun's open source efforts and don't hold this against them. They are inventing / tweaking a very difficult business model by releasing free software and getting support / client / business / developer buy in. It is not easy and they have had to take a few hits while sorting it out. So I understand and considering everything that we are getting for free from them (and top quality I might add) I will allow them this decision.