我不知道怎么翻譯這個(gè)ecosystem，在生物學(xué)上，這個(gè)詞的解釋是：生態(tài)系統(tǒng)。 人生活在這個(gè)大自然中，其實(shí)也就是生活在大自然這個(gè)生態(tài)系統(tǒng)中。 一個(gè)健康發(fā)展的ecosystem，要具有它最基本的元素（比如水，陽(yáng)光，空氣），各個(gè)組成部分要和諧的發(fā)展，互相合作（就像你的身體內(nèi)的每個(gè)器官）。
Java世界到目前為止，也是一個(gè)和諧發(fā)展的生態(tài)系統(tǒng)，Java語(yǔ)言和Java平臺(tái)是它的基礎(chǔ)元素，各類廠商（不管是軟件的還是硬件的）基于Java開發(fā)了大量的應(yīng)用系統(tǒng)，JCP的運(yùn)作則在保證這個(gè)系統(tǒng)的良性發(fā)展。
那么Java開發(fā)工具，最重要的IDE部分呢？ Eclipse還是NetBeans？ZDNet的專欄作者David Berlind在JavaOne 2005期間，寫個(gè)一篇報(bào)道：Might JavaOne have been NetBeans' last stand? 他指出，Eclipse在“事實(shí)”上已經(jīng)贏過了NetBeans，原因就是Eclipse健康發(fā)展的ecosystem。（以下部分摘錄于David的專欄，做了部分的翻譯和刪減）。
“…… Like operating systems, IDEs are the foundations of their own ecosystems. The word "integrated" in "integrated development environment" is there because of how easy IDEs make it for developers to mix and match their favorite development tools. Coding tools, modeling tools, workflow tools, mobile tools, etc. There are hundreds of specialized tools out there that make it easier for developers to develop correspondingly specialized applications. The beauty of the IDE is how all of these tools can be snapped together like a jigsaw puzzle and work together in one context. So, in ecosystem terms, in the same way that computer buyers like to buy computers for which many applications exists (eg: Windows computers), developers will not only gravitate towards IDEs that they like, but the ones for which the most third party support and tools exist (known as IDE plug-ins). ”
這就像買電腦一樣，買一臺(tái)電腦，并不是只是為了買那一套硬件，也不主要是看重它的CPU，內(nèi)存和硬盤，更主要的是需要這臺(tái)電腦可以運(yùn)行大量的應(yīng)用程序（這可能是為什么絕大多數(shù)的人使用Windows，因?yàn)橛写罅康膽?yīng)用程序可以使用）。 同樣的，對(duì)于開發(fā)者來說，當(dāng)他使用一個(gè)IDE的時(shí)候，他不僅僅只是被IDE本身的功能所吸引，另一方面，就是有更多的工具（也就是IDE的插件）可以使用，有更多的其他廠商的支持（更不要說IDE本身還是免費(fèi)的了）。
在今年的JavaOne 2005上，更多的廠商宣布了將支持Eclipse（暫且不提年初BEA，Oracle，MacroMedia這樣的大公司作為重量級(jí)的開發(fā)商加入Eclipse Foundation，IBM就更不用提了，它幾乎完全是Eclipse-Driven了）：
- Catalyst Systems' Openmake 6.4 For Eclipse - Openmake integrates fully with version control systems from Rational, Serena and more.
- Sybase Announces Unified Eclipse-Based Application Development Environment - Using the Eclipse platform, Sybase WorkSpace offers comprehensive development tooling that automates mundane tasks and reduces the overall complexity of application development.
- BEA Systems Embraces Open Source Innovation - In addition to the support and leadership BEA has shown as a strategic member of the Eclipse Foundation, and as contributor to high-profile Apache and other open source projects, both Apache Beehive and Spring with deployment to Apache Tomcat.
- Compuware Extends Java Development Automation and Announces Eclipse Support With OptimalJ 4.0 - Compuware Corporation released Compuware OptimalJ 4.0, unveiling new process-modeling functionality and announcing support for the Eclipse open source development platform.
- Oracle Strengthens Commitment to Java Developers with Free Development Tool and Open Source Projects - Oracle is proposing to spearhead a JavaServer Faces (JSF) tooling project within the Eclipse Foundation open-source community and will also join the Apache MyFaces project as a core contributor.
- Borland to Ring In New Era of Java Innovation at JavaOne - At the conference itself, Borland will lead three sessions on topics ranging from how to leverage the Eclipse framework, to IDE extensibility, to recent innovations in JBuilder.
- ILOG Delivers Enhanced Business Rule Management for Dual-Platform Applications - ILOG Business Rule Studio 2.1 also integrates in Eclipse 3.
- NEC is the 100th Organization to Join Eclipse - The Eclipse Foundation announced that its membership has reached the milestone of 100 member organizations. NEC is the 100th organization to join the Eclipse Foundation and will join as an Add-in Provider member. NEC plans to introduce new Eclipse-based tools and plug-ins for their C++ and Java development environments.
- OC Systems Announces Hitchhiker for Eclipse - Hitchhiker is our first foray into the C/C++ space within the Eclipse ecosystem. We look forward to receiving feedback and developing future Eclipse-based products, particularly for C/C++."
- NDS Announces New OCAP Software Tool for Eclipse Development Environment - NDS Group plc announced that the new plug-in speeds open standards-based set-top box application development and offers superior debugging features. It is compliant with the latest version of Eclipse.
- Open Source Leader Exadel Extends Eclipse IDE with New Visual Editing Tools - Exadel, Inc. announced the availability of Exadel Studio Pro 3.0, an advanced enterprise-class Web application development suite designed to work with Eclipse 3.1.
BEA的CTO， Mark Carges在一次訪談中解釋了為什么這家在Java應(yīng)用服務(wù)器市場(chǎng)占據(jù)最大份額的公司會(huì)將自己的開發(fā)產(chǎn)品定位于Eclipse（他的訪談可以下載）:
….But especially about a year ago when [Eclipse] really started to turn up, we really heard loud in clear, "But you know developers are using Eclipse based plug-ins and IDEs. It be great would be if we could take advantage of that." Not one of the companies I met said the same for NetBeans. So it was a very very simple choice. We looked at it and said at this point in time, the Eclipse organization has the right kind of open source model, it has the right meritocracy as far as how you can contribute and how code could be developed. …… Eclipse did a very nice job running themselves as an open source organization where anyone could participate. We felt very comfortable joining that organization and leveraging that for one, and two, it was what customers were asking for. It was a no brainer.
原因很簡(jiǎn)單，大量的程序員在使用Eclipse，作為BEA，再開發(fā)自己的workshop已經(jīng)不合適了。 擁抱Eclipse是最好的辦法。 既有了一套標(biāo)準(zhǔn)的IDE規(guī)范，又有Eclipse開放源碼社區(qū)對(duì)Eclipse的貢獻(xiàn)，加上大量熟悉Eclipse的程序員。 作為Eclipse Web Tools的主要開發(fā)商，BEA不會(huì)不考慮到自己的WebLogic的，我相信，當(dāng)WTP發(fā)布的時(shí)候（今年年底），對(duì)WebLogic的支持，將是最大的一個(gè)新功能了：Eclipse免費(fèi)，WTP免費(fèi)，內(nèi)置的WebLogic的支持，免費(fèi)下載WL Express版本，從開發(fā)工具到應(yīng)用服務(wù)器，都有了，BEA還需要廣告去宣傳嗎？
我原先還以為，Ian說的第100個(gè)加入Eclipse Foundation的會(huì)是Sun。 我真是大錯(cuò)特錯(cuò)了。 第100個(gè)是NEC。 這個(gè)確實(shí)出乎我的意料，沒有想到NEC這家消費(fèi)類電子產(chǎn)品的巨頭，會(huì)加入Eclipse，做和C++/Java有關(guān)的插件。 在短期之內(nèi)，Sun是不會(huì)加入Eclipse的，至少我這么認(rèn)為。 但是David持不同的意見。 原因是Sun在這周宣布，曾經(jīng)大力發(fā)展得JDS for Linux系統(tǒng)，Sun將停止更新了，轉(zhuǎn)而開發(fā)JDS for Solaris。 所以Sun很快會(huì)放棄NetBeans（只是遲早的事情），而進(jìn)入Eclipse。 我并不這么看。 Sun當(dāng)初發(fā)展Linux，是看中了Linux的巨大市場(chǎng)，但是Linux不是Sun自己的。 當(dāng)Solaris開放了源碼，得到更多的認(rèn)可的時(shí)候，Sun還是回到了Solaris，因?yàn)镾olaris是Sun自己的。 NetBeans其實(shí)就是Sun自己的（JavaOne 2005上，Sun推出了大量自己開發(fā)的和NetBeans相關(guān)的東西），如果Sun現(xiàn)在站在Eclipse陣線，倒是可以想見有一天Sun會(huì)回到NetBeans去。 但是現(xiàn)在Sun在NetBeans一邊，一定不會(huì)去Eclipse的。
在Bill Gates Live上看了新版的Visual Studio 2005的介紹以后，我更加深信，Eclipse的“對(duì)手”決不是NetBeans，而是Visual Studio，就像Java/Java EE的對(duì)手是.Net一樣。 Microsoft的策略很簡(jiǎn)單，.Net是下一代的平臺(tái)，但是只有程序員才能在這個(gè)平臺(tái)開發(fā)下一代的新系統(tǒng)（當(dāng)你看到Steve Ballmo聲嘶力竭的大喊著“developer，developer，developer，developer…..”的時(shí)候，你就會(huì)相信這一點(diǎn)）。 一定要有一個(gè)強(qiáng)大的開發(fā)平臺(tái)，只有這個(gè)平臺(tái)，足夠吸引程序員，才會(huì)有.Net產(chǎn)品的“量產(chǎn)”（想想當(dāng)初的Visual Basic 和 Visual C++是如何影響Windows應(yīng)用程序的）。 對(duì)Java和Java EE也是一樣，程序員不可能靠Notepad來制作更多更好的系統(tǒng)，Java程序員需要一個(gè)優(yōu)秀的開發(fā)平臺(tái)。 然而，僅僅一個(gè)Eclipse IDE和Eclipse Foundation是不夠的。 對(duì)Eclipse IDE本身來說，幾乎不是Visual Studio的對(duì)手。 Eclipse需要這個(gè)良性發(fā)展的ecosystem，需要大量的plug-in的支持，需要IBM，BEA，Oracle這樣廠商的支持。 那么，不久的將來，Eclipse IDE加上良好發(fā)展的plug-in，整個(gè)套件（也許叫做Eclipse Suite或者Eclipse Space）才是Visual Studio真正的競(jìng)爭(zhēng)對(duì)手。
Eclipse 
