The Java platforms (J2SE and J2EE) are filled with rich and useful features, making Java an extremely useful resource for more than mere programming. To use Java, a good scripting tool is needed.

Last week, I reported on the Burton Group's surprise pronouncement that Java EE was a dead platform walking. Bill Roth, vice president at BEA, had this to say about that: "J2EE is like the Mark Twain ...