Why not Java?

This article is not a tirade or attack on Java. In general, this article is targeted at Win32 developers and not Java developers. But the question still arises, �Why .NET instead of Java?�. I will only summarize my view on this in this article. In another future article, I shall compare .NET and Java and prognosticate on the future.

Java is an established platform with its own merits. This article merely states my reasons why I think .NET is important. I have only referenced the Java platform when a contrast or specific difference existed that I felt was of particular importance.

.NET is superior to Java as a platform in many areas, while Java is superior in others. The key difference though is that .NET will close the gap in the future with little need for change, while Java cannot close the gaps without a major redesign into something quite different than it is now.

Some advantages that .NET has over Java are:

1. Java is not just a platform, but a language. .NET is language independent. Adopting .NET does not force you to adopt a single, or even specific language. .NET can even support the Java language, and J# is very close to Java.
2. Language interoperability.
3. .NET can coexist with and even integrate with existing Win32 code.
4. Moving to Java from Win32 is a complete paradigm shift. Moving to .NET is a more natural path for Win32 developers.