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2009/1/13 Kevin McGuire
<Kevin_McGuire@xxxxxxxxxx>
One problem we have (see, I said "problem"
and not "challenge" or "opportunity" :> ) is that
an inherent goal of e4 is to be open. Thus the definition is determined
by what the participants want to do, and is subject to change as they change
their focus, more get involved, etc. It's hard therefore to explain
what it does for a consumer of it and has I think made our "messaging"
kind of wishy washy. If we had laid out a definitive road map it
would've made it easier to focus people but it would've been at the cost
of community building.
This is really true.
Here's my attempt at copy-editing John's comments with this in mind:
E4 is the community effort for building
the next generation of the Eclipse Platform. As a community effort, the functionality it delivers depends on what features the community's software developers decide to produce. However, the following themes are emerging:
1) To simplify the Eclipse programming model.
2) To enable the platform
for use on emerging web-based runtime technologies.
3) To broaden participation
in development of the platform.
Simplifying the programming model will
reduce development and maintenance costs and enable a larger developer
community to leverage the platform in their own Eclipse-based applications.
Enabling the platform on new runtime technologies will ensure the
platform remains a compelling and viable application framework in a rapidly
changing web technology landscape. This will allow e4-based applications
to leverage powerful new web technologies, while remaining insulated from
specific technology choices that may quickly become obsolete.
Finally,
broadening participation in development of the platform itself reduces
the risks associated with building on a platform largely funded from a
single source. Having a large and diverse group of commercial backers,
will ensure the platform remains vibrant and viable over the long term.
Customers whose needs are aligned with E4's development goals and choose to contribute to it will reduce overall development costs, be able to leverage new runtime technologies without being locked into short term technology
choices, and help to deliver a stable long term
application platform.
------
Notes: I've mostly added formatting and done a tiny bit of wordsmithing. The only thing I added was the thing about what we deliver depending on "what features community developers decide to produce."
Regards,
Dave
