Report: Java and MySQL doing fine under Oracle

A new developer survey report from open-source business intelligence vendor Jaspersoft shows that there has been minimal fallout from Oracle's acquisition of Sun Microsystems, and that Java and MySQL seem to be doing just fine in their new home.

These results contrast with the latest developments of the OpenSolaris project, which, under Oracle's watch, has seen its Governing Board threatening to disband.

MySQL and Java have a strong presence in modern open-source software stacks, both in the enterprise and in Web shops. Interestingly, the survey report suggests that, thanks to Oracle's commitment to Java, as part of an open stack, customers are potentially more comfortable than they were with Java under Sun.

Broadly speaking, there isn't an alternative to Java for many applications. Scripting languages can go a long way toward solving problems, but they have different methodologies and use cases that are more functionally logical. Java, despite its challenges, provides developers with a broader range of functions than any one specific scripting language can.

A more surprising finding of the report is that users don't plan to switch from MySQL. Rather, they believe that it could thrive under the watch of Oracle, which, to its benefit, now has strongholds in both proprietary and open-source software stacks.

Highlights from the survey:

• More than 75 percent of respondents said their use of MySQL would increase or stay the same under Oracle.
• More than 75 percent of respondents predicted that MySQL development would continue at the same pace and even improve under Oracle.
• Almost all respondents said they'd continue to use Java, or increase the use of Java in their organization, under Oracle. These results say Java is still a vibrant and popular programming language.
• Nearly 80 percent of respondents felt that the Java Community Process (JCP) would remain the same or improve under Oracle.