(April 19, 2002) In the weeks after the Java extravaganza in San Francisco known as JavaOne, the dust has been settling on the enterprise wireless world. WBT News Desk has been seeking out viewpoints of some of the movers and shakers who attended, including the director of object technology for Computer Associates, Paul Lipton.

Speaking to us amid preparations for CA-World next week (a Computer Associates industry conference that’s roughly the same size as JavaOne), Lipton says he was "surprised at the tremendous interest in wireless" at Sun’s San Francisco show.

"Most of the messages I heard from various vendors were mixed and confused," he continues, though. "The only common theme is ‘you must support J2ME.’ Many other considerations such as management, backup, integration, and so on appeared to be secondary."

"This is understandable at JavaOne, naturally, where the important thing is J2ME itself," Lipton says. "But those of us faced with real enterprise challenges shouldn’t lose touch with the bigger picture. The real key to success in wireless over the next few years will be to avoid ‘painting yourself into a corner.’"

Patricia C. Sueltz, executive vice president of Sun's Software Systems Group, naturally sees things a little differently. "The momentum of Java technology in the wireless space is really strong," she tells WBT News Desk, "Large wireless carriers around the world realize that interactive applications create a whole new revenue opportunity and that Java provides an independent, standards-based application platform for them."

"This," she continues, "combined with the exciting range of phones and mobile devices being offered or on the way will drive Java technology's acceptance to unprecedented levels."

Could she be more specific? You betcha! "There are currently more than 50 different devices available from 16 world-class wireless manufacturers: Nokia, Motorola, Siemens, Samsung, Sony/Ericsson, Panasonic, Sharp, NEC, Mitsubishi, Toshiba, Casio, LG, Hitachi, RIM, Sanyo, and Fujitsu."

Phew. One can maybe understand Paul Lipton’s caution in the enterprise space, but there seems no doubt that J2ME is riding high with the OEMs. No shortage of corners there, it would seem, nor any shortage of paint.