Posted by : Maggie Biggs Linux Advisorhed: Good economic developmentsdek: Linux and Java will help you create apps while keeping your budget in check.by Maggie Biggs

It's funny. Most of my siblings are involved in technology in one way or another. Some are network engineers, while others are software developers. Our discussions are usually quite lively. No surprise there: Most technologists also have strong opinions about what they like and don't like.

During a recent family discussion, one of my siblings said he felt that Linux was a great platform for Java developers. For once, he's right. But Java is also a winner for business.

By combining the economical open-source operating system with the plethora of open source and commercial Java tools available, companies can save a lot of money. Whether you're a small business with a single technical person or a larger company with one or more development teams, there is much to gain by leveraging Linux and Java to create or enrich applications.

Some of the major business benefits of adopting Linux and Java to create applications include: reduced development costs; increased developer productivity; platform plurality; leveraged open-source collaboration; and reduced developer training costs.

To the lab!

Most recently, I've been testing three different Java Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) for Linux. They are: Sun's Forte for Java-Community Edition, which is available as a free download; ...

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