Well, guy just wanted to say "Let''s call it "services" istead of "middleware". That''s all. Just didn''t like the word.

Interesting . . . What about airways ?
Important to understand is the meaning of J2EE - integration. Under this, many enterprise resources may be integrated, provided there is the server. Then if the server works well, and costs less, why should anybody object ? But that, only time can tell, as we will definitely find out which "middleware" people are buying more of !

Middleware is a concept to integrate heretofore unintegrated technologies more easily. As long as there are technologies to integrate, and projects to be done more quickly, middleware is the key.

But just as 3G programming languages obfuscated machine code, middleware solutions will become more sophisticated to abstracting out the nitty technology. There was a time that making ODBC drivers was a profitable business plan. Later, message queue software sold. Now, realtime integration is the presumption however operational middleware is more valuable. How do I execute better business quicker?

Middleware has migrated in 15 years from API packages to business solution generators. Only if business stops having competitive time pressues will middleware cease to exist.

What do companies do when they realize they''ve lost the battle as defined by the current market? Try to redefine the market.

Agree @ Joe

With crap like this comming from Sun, it is the duty of all of us Java supporters to stand behind the technology. If it were left up to Sun alone, .NET would surely win. IBM, please take the wheel.

I get sooo tired of these silly things coming out of Sun. It seem it is only a direct marketing attck at IBM. It reflects that Sun has lost it''s focus, and can''t seem to find it. Sun may well end up being history...

...please IBM, buy out Sun and save java for us all.

Middleware is very much alive and well and is instrumental in business today. Packaged solutions have been very successful and have a foothold, but the number of custom solutions to tie disparate systems together is beyond calculation. Applications developers are looking to web services for the next generation of applications, we all pretty much agree on that point, but the phrase ''middleware is dead'' is as premature as the rantings of ''the mainframe is dead'' that started many, many years ago.

Middleware is very much alive and well and is instrumental in business today. Packaged solutions have been very successful and have a foothold, but the number of custom solutions to tie disparate systems together is beyond calculation. Applications developers are looking to web services for the next generation of applications, we all pretty much agree on that point, but the phrase ''middleware is dead'' is as premature as the rantings of ''the mainframe is dead'' that started many, many years ago.

Hey, at least this guy did not paste his mug shot all over the article.... He is obviously not seeking the publicity that the "czar" (hardy har har) from Sun did.

Am I correct in thinking that a J2EE Application Server is essentially middleware? Is SUN saying J2EE is ...

Sounds to me like Sun''s marketing department doesn''t know diamonds from dishwater. Sun has had essentially zero sales performance in the software department for years--these guys can''t even figure out how to market Java effectively. Sounds like Sun has reached the denial stage of terminal illness--and is declaring everyone else to be dead, too, just so they''re not the only ones.

It''s just which reference point you''re talking about here. To A, B is death! and to B, A is death!
Technology had evolved so fast that new term/jargons/piece of software tempt to confuse user. In my opinion, no matter what, "Middleware has always been a software that earned lots of companies great fortune, AND will continue to do so!"

yes but which statement? that''s it''s "dead" or that it''s "alive and well" ;-)

hehe, it''s an expression of marketing instead of technology.