The Weakest Link

[Hussein Baghdadi]

Hey all.
recently, I have been testing various Java IDEs and I have reached to the following conclusion.
the weakest link in Java world is .....
The IDEs...
until now, there is now comprehensive IDE for java like the M$ VS.
JBuilder offers EJB designer and great GUI editor but not visual editor for web application like JDeveloper (or Java studio creator) and its expensive.
Java studio creator only supports web application but not EJB application J2EE apps.
Workshop is only used for webservices.
IntellJ is great IDE for Java but there is no support for rapid development for J2EE apps(I don't know but it seems to me there is no support for UML).
JDeveloper is nice but there is no JSF visual tool.
should I mention the support of J2ME application and the creation of exe or other formats
and installation process ??
even in the SDK, there is no tool to create exe, app, sh .....
why this situation ??
why there is no comprehensive IDE that compains all features like VS.
the developer is not forced to use (or buy) another IDE in order to use some great features
that his current IDE dosen't provide them to him.
recently, I have been with my .NET friend, and he showed me the powerfull of VS.
webforms, winforms, developing mobile application, excellent GUI builder , visual editor for
web application using D&D way, customizing VS (like I am C# developer and I want to customize
VS to fit my needs).
do you believe that VS requires only 160 MB of RAM !!!
JBuilder requires 512 MB minimum (750 recommended), IntellJ 256, JDeveloper 512
please, create the Java IDEs using C++ or C not swing.
ofcourse, the IDE is not every thing, but you can't deny its importance.
here is my suggested IDE (Java Universal Studio) :
EJB designer, UML support, GUI builder, RMI and CORBA support from JBuilder.
Creating web application using JSF from Java Studio Creator.
Graphical web designer from JDeveloper.
Creating Web Services from workshop and JBuilder.
produtivity, pleasure, fun, easyness and intelligence of IntellJ.
RAD of J2EE apps from Fabrique.
extensibilty of eclipse.
is it to much to an IDE like this ?
or let sun and other Java players pay some money to M$ and ask Mr. Gates to create :
Java Visual Studio 2005 !!
let me hear your opinions ranchers, maybe I am wrong or I have sold my soul to the dark side.

[Ilja Preuss]

Well, noone is holding you from writing the missing plugins for eclipse.

[Jeanne Boyarsky]

John,
A few points jump out at me from that post:

1) Memory - Of course VS uses less memory. It only needs to run on Windows. Plus, they can tie themselves to the operating system. This is somewhat like IE needing less memory than Mozilla. I'd be interested to see how Microsoft managed to do with a Linux version of VS.

2) Features - I use WSAD at work and don't find it to be lacking in features. It doesn't have full UML support, but then it isn't a UML tool.

3) exes - Java proudes class files and jar files. It is not intended to produce exes that tie you to one OS. There are tools out there that give you this functionality if you really need it, but most developers do not.

4) Price - It costs them money to build in alot of functionality. Most enterprise tools are expensive. VS is $1799 for the enterprise edition. Is that what you are comparing?

Also your friend showed you the features of VS. He/she presumably didn't show you any of its limitations. If we were to show you only the good things in Eclipse, we could make it sound like the wonder tool.