Sun Microsystems sure had some very nice things to say about the zembly project when it was introduced a couple of years ago:
We like to say that zembly is the development environment for Sun’s bold vision—an application development environment that not only targets the web as its native platform, but uses cutting-edge web innovations such as web services, social networking, and Web 2.0, to change the way applications are built, deployed, scaled, and delivered to where users congregate.
Zembly was an interesting attempt to lower the barrier of entry to writing applications for social platforms such as Facebook, Orkut, Meebo, OpenSocial and the iPhone by sharing services and widgets with the developer community. But apparently, Sun’s bold vision didn’t quite cut it, so it’s cutting zembly loose and shutting the service down at the end of this month.
In a message sent to its users and posted on its website, the zembly team says the service will be suspended on November 30th, and the FAQ teaches us that all applications and services currently on zembly will be made unavailable, along with the user data of all members of the community.
Users have until the end of this month to get hold of their application code and widgets.
Zembly is now part of the illusive TechCrunch deadpool.
Got an email this morning.
So long zembley.
Sigh….
Sun’s state lately is somewhat worrisome. How long is the EU going to dilly dally around with the Oracle purchase?
“Lately?”
They probably realized it would take 10X the amount of time to accomplish in Java what Facebook has already accomplished in PHP.
Good article, but it left me wondering how the TechCrunch deadpool is “illusive”?
Are these companies not really dead? Are you planning some sort of “startup zombie” stunt?
Must admit that I may be using the word wrong, but I was trying to express it isn’t exactly a pool, but merely a tag
why is the deadpool “illusive”?
“based on or having the nature of an illusion”
The deadpool is real as were the companies.
This is really bad. I just got the notice. After shutdown of AppJet hosting in July another server-side JavaScript platform is going down. I guess this just leaves Joyent and JGate as SSJS platform hosting alternatives. Zembly had a great Rest API explorer that I am really going to miss.
I’ve never heard of Zembly, its odd that they have put the team photos at the bottom! Sun Microsystems does seem to an odd company to try their hands at this. I guess its another cut back of the economy.
What I want to know is why. I haven’t seen or been able to find any explanation of “why” it’s shutting down.
Couldn’t they open-source it and let the community continue to thrive? zembly was (IS) a great service.