OStatic

One of the fascinating trends that the Java world has seen in the last few years is the growth of non-Java languages that use the JVM (Java Virtual Machine). After all, if you create a new programming language, you will need to write it for a particular platform. If you want your language to be portable across platforms, you will need to implement versions for each of those platforms. By contrast, if you implement your language on the JVM, then your language will work on any system with a JVM, which is basically everywhere. Four of these languages -- Jython, JRuby, Groovy, and Scala -- are released under open-source licenses, and are increasingly popular choices for programmers who value portability.

PHP is not the sexiest language, and many people are quick to point out its deficiencies for Web application development. However, PHP is one of the most popular open-source projects, with a huge following, and many installations. Given that it is a relatively stable project, you might expect the PHP development team to be resting on its laurels. But no; in addition to a regular bug-fix release, the PHP QA team is sponsoring a test fest, in an attempt to improve the language's automated test suite.

Want a complete, printed reference for Rails that dedicates a separate chapter to each topic? Look no further than The Rails Way, a new book by Obie Fernandez.

Ruby on Rails is one of the best-known open-source Web frameworks currently in use. It combines the Ruby language with an MVC (model-view-controller) architecture, a powerful object-relational mapper known as ActiveRecord.

Want to create modern Web applications? You'll need to use JavaScript. But don't write the JavaScript yourself; use one of the high-quality open-source libraries that let you concentrate on your coding, rather than browser incompatibilities.

If you work with statistics, then you should look at R, an open-source language for statistical analysis. It's jam-packed with features, and has a strong community that offers both assistance and numerous extension packages.

When people talk about big, successful open-source projects, they often think about software that can be used in large organizations. So we hear a great deal about the Linux operating system, the MySQL database, and even Ruby on Rails as a framework for developing Web applications. There's more to the story, though.