First Thoughts on Java Store

I've recently had a chance to check out Java Store Beta.

Alright, what is Java Store you might ask?

From a marketing viewpoint Java Store is Sun's concession to current vogue of application distribution hubs sparkled by iPhone App Store.

Technically it's an attempt to validate much hyped and heavily promoted JavaFX technology and to breathe new life into Java Web Start technology.

The official definition goes like this:

The Java Store is the single best online destination to find interesting, useful and entertaining Java software applications. Social networking, games, productivity tools and business applications are examples of what you can download from the Java Store. This easy-to-use storefront, and all applications, are currently available for free as part of the beta program for U.S. residents.

While Sun understandably exploits Java brand for the sake of promotion, the bulk of current store content is based on JavaFX technology, which is not quite the same as Java and requires quite a bit of ramping up from a developer standpoint.

JavaFX issue aside, the store seems to justify its beta tag. I was able to install a few apps but couldn't browse categories for some reason.

Java Store introduces an original way of installing an application - you drag it out of the store window to start the installation. A more traditional way of installation is to hover your mouse over an application and initiate the install from the window that pops up.

The featured JavaFX for Facebook application implements an interesting concept of a desktop widget that is attached to the left side of the screen and sits on top of all the open windows all the time. The setup of the application is somewhat clunky due to the way of handling the communication with Facebook to login and grant permissions. The user interface is simple but the results I got were not always what I expected.

Two ways of monetization in Java Store are paid applications (future) and/or in-app advertisement. Not innovative but good enough for a sales channel.

While Jonathan Schwartz used word "billions" in connection with Java Store, we are yet to see the wide adoption of the concept and the technologies behind it. On the bright side, finally Java Web Start works as it was supposed to 8 years ago when it was introduced.