Now that the "Rave" is over, Sun is focusing its energy on delivering a public preview of its Sun Java Studio Creator. Java Studio Creator, formerly known by the code-name Rave, is Sun's response to developers who are seeking for an alternative to Microsoft's .NET framework.

Sun's programming suite offers developers that create Java and J2EE-based Web applications a user friendly and productive drag-and-drop programming interface similar to Microsoft's Visual Studio. Application editors are synchronized to ensure consistency no matter what programming methodology a developers favors.

According to Sun, Java Studio Creator is based on JavaServer Faces technology and is designed to simplify Java coding by providing "well-defined Event Handlers" for programming business logic into applications. This eliminates the needs for developers to manage the details of transactions, persistence and "other complexities."

Moreover, Sun's "round-trip" development model is designed to simplify iterative development to make deploying and debugging more productive.

When inquiring about the status of Java Studio Creator, a company spokesperson told BetaNews, "The product is still in technology preview, which is available only to a small group of customers. The product will be released into Early Access mode soon."

Sun expects an enthusiastic reception. According to Yankee Group research, development activity on the Java platform currently outpaces that of Microsoft .NET by approximately a 3-to-1 margin.

The final Java Studio Creator product is expected to be released during the JavaOne conference this summer. Users can register for the preview at Sun's Web site.