(via my java.net blog)

I remember being at JavaOne in 1999 (I think) when I first heard the terms “J2SE”, “J2EE”, and “J2ME”. I understood the reasoning for such a move, but at the same time I hoped they wouldn’t go too far with the distinction.

It was both amusing and refreshing to hear Jonathan Schwartz acknowledge in this morning’s keynote that Sun has been guilty of pushing multiple, separate platforms rather than emphasizing Java as a single platform. He promised that they would do better.

Of course, they aren’t in a full retreat from the multiple editions, and such a retreat wouldn’t make sense anyway. There are real distinctions between those environments, and the facilities available on them need to reflect that. But I do hope they spend more time focusing on what all the editions have in common.

Unfortunately, for those of us who like to stay informed about what’s coming in future releases, it’s necessary to pick an edition. This afternoon at 3:30, the “Overview and Roadmap” sessions for J2SE and J2EE are scheduled opposite one another.