I tend to disagree. Java has an enormous technical advantage in
"executable content", but does not have such a head-start in
Web applications executed on the server side. While it is true that
Java would offer portability across server platforms, this is not much
of an issue as most information providers keep their server software to
themselves (unless its freeware of course).
When one can focus on a single platform tho, programmers can choose the
tools and languages they are most comfortable with. CGI was "designed"
with this in mind: the most basic of methods (environment variables,
standard input and output) are used to transfer information between the
server and the server application software, which any decent programming
language will support.
SO... Windows programmers use Windows-native languages like Visual BASIC
for their Winsite CGI programs, Unix programmers use "Unix-native"
languages like Perl or shell scripts for their NCSA-httpd CGI programs,
etc. They do it not because what they use is "better" (tho they may try
to convince you of that), but because they are using whatever they are
most familiar with. Java, for all its merits, is still yet another
language and development environment to learn.
There are a number of threads/flamewars comparing the merits of Java
to other languages in newsgroups such as comp.lang.java, comp.lang.perl,
comp.lang.tcl, etc. if you want to know more.
--------------------------------+-----------------------------------
Dennis Clark | Email: dennis@nospam.ilanet.slnsw.gov.au
Programmer, ILANET | Tel: +61 2 230 1424
State Library of NSW | Fax: +61 2 232 8701
"What a tangled WWW we weave!"