Java Stuff
Sun has released the open source Interoperability Prototype for Liberty, their competitor to MS Passport.
IPL is designed to help developers learn how the project Liberty Alliance Version 1.0 specification can be implemented. Written for the Java 2 platform, IPL provides the foundation for building liberty into applications and testing interoperability between liberty compliant solutions such as the SunTM ONE Identity Server version 6.0.
The weird thing is that the download link on Sun's IPL page goes to the worst looking website I've seen in a while. I'm not sure I understand what Sun is doing... because it definitely doesn't look professional. Is the Liberty Alliance being developed as someone's 7th grade science project? The web page has a little icon in the bottom right-hand corner "Powered By Brazil" which was Sun's devices-P2P thing wasn't it? I had almost forgotten about that...
Pelleb's waxing lyrically about the lastest IDEA Beta. Sounds good. Still too expensive. Hopefully someone makes a decent XML plugin with completion soon like IDEA... The writing's on the wall for IDEA users, IMHO. IntelliJ should just quit while they're ahead, back-up and create a custom set of Eclipse plug-ins which they can sell also (but hopefully for less).
Applied Java Patterns review on Slashdot. "Applied Java Patterns is an adequate Design Patterns reference for those who must have a Java version of the classic Gamma et al (aka Gang of Four, or GoF) Design Patterns, but it's only adequate." Probably good for studying for the SCEA exam though. Nice list of alternate titles at the bottom though... Lots of good stuff on Slashdot this evening, actually.
I saw some other stuff too... give me a couple minutes.
-Russ