Live From Google Campfire '09: Java Support Launches

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We’re here at the Google campfire event, where Google is celebrating the first birthday of App Engine and is planning planning to unveil new developer-related features. The event is being held in Google’s Building 43 instead of an outdoor amphitheater because of rain, but Google has decked out the room with a virtual fireplace, log podium, and atmospheric lighting.

At this point Google hasn’t publicly announced what they’re launching tonight. We’ve heard that Java might be coming soon, but that could also be coming at Google’s I/O conference next month.

We’ll begin live blogging as soon as the event begins. For now, we’re live streaming video from inside the virtual campfire.

Update:Here is the link for the Java Signup For App Engine – First 10,000 developers to sign up get access.

7:37 PM PST: The event is starting

  • Google launched App Engine because people were spending too much time as Sys Admins rather than building their web apps.
  • 150,000 developers have built more than 50,000 applications
  • Google has started using App Engine internally, including Google Moderator, which was built as a way for Google employees to ask questions during company meetings. Recently Whitehouse.gov used it for its Town Hall.
  • Google has been soliciting feedback from devs for the last year. Based on that, they have new features for tonight. Including cron support, database importing, access to firewalled data, and Java Support
  • And… we’ve just had a BSOD… (back in action 20 seconds later)
  • Developers want to be able to pay to use more App Engine to allow for scaling. About a month ago Google gave developers the ability to pay for extra usage
  • Cron support allows developers to execute regularly scheduled tasks.
  • It can be challenging to move data into and out of App Engine. Tonight we’re announcing large scale import tool. Also working on an export tool, so you can move gigs of data off so you can get local backup copy.
  • Next feature is exciting for enterprise developers. They’d like a way to connect to things behind firewalls. Tonight, we’re announcing the Secure Data Connector (SDC). SDC is built around having an agent inside the firewall, which connects to servers inside of Google, giving Google servers policy controlled access to data you’ve chosen to expose.
  • SDC was meant to be simple, secure and open. All data is encrypted with SSL. You don’t have to change network settings changes, it only makes outbound connections. Policies at Application, User, and URL level.
  • Mark Woollen VP Social CRM at Oracle has taken the stage. Google allows Google SDC and Oracle servers to connect – giving an example of using it to build an app for servers behind a firewall. Going to be available for Oracle Siebel servers in May 2009, with beta available before that.
  • Google has taken the stage again. Tonight we’re exciting our early look at Java for App Engine. Why an early look? We feel the support is not yet complete, details to work out. We want to learn what things need to be adjusted.
  • Giving an end to end solution of Java runtime for App Engine, Eclipse, and Google Web Toolkit – allows you to build client and server together in one experience with one language.
  • Full Java 1.6
  • Google Plugin for Eclipse. Integrates every step of app development. Also have standalone tools.
  • Java Standards – 100% standards based.
  • They just built a guest book using Java in less than ten minutes (explaining every step along the way). Here it is, go nuts.
  • IBM Cloud team has taken the stage. Taking the GuestBook code from the previous example. Has deployed code to IBM. Interface to Tivoli LDAP and DB2, IBM Web Sphere.
  • Google Web Toolkit. We’re now building a better UI for the guestbook.
  • Iein Valdez of Appirio has taken the stage, showed off building an enterprise app for App Engine.
  • Here is the link for the Java Signup For App Engine – First 10,000 developers to sign up get access.