ILU for Java: Why use it?

Describes ILU at release ilu2.0-alpha14.

ILU supports corba compatible usage -- unlike Java RMI
limitation: must use ILU specific stubs
ILU is free and available in source code
and ready to be changed if you need it, even commercially
ILU supports more programming languages
including Python, C, Lisp, some C++
ILU supports multiple protocols and transports
including iiop, sunrpc, http, w3ng
ILU provides distributed garbage collection
and object tables for permanent objects
ILU has small but active distribution list answering difficult questions
you will find key implementors answering questions
ILU for Java generated types are RMI compatible
Both ways: ILU stubs are serializable, and, generic serializable objects can be handled by ILU for Java
ILU for Java has experimental full custom mapping
e.g. this is used to implement the feature above
ILU has a multi year track record

Native Java methods; no general applet support
No support for DII, DSI
Ilu stubs and corba standard stubs are compatible only in api, but are not interchangeable.
Installation process more difficult then other Java-only or binary-only orbs
No commercial customer support

First a word of caution: ILU is large. ILU installation is highly parametrized.
The installation process is not unusual for unix programs, but may be daunting for people used to Java only. Consider doing a full all-languages installation of ILU nevertheless.
There are binary only pre-installed versions of ILU for Java. However these are limitted by our choice of installation option as well as running only on a small number of architectures.
ILU for Java has been installed with 12 (twelve!) different Java VM's. Not all of them are still relevant; adding number 13 is probably much easier but might still require work.