Java, J2EE and next ?

I have had this vague feeling for quite some time. Product innovation, exploration on the Java side has come to a plateau. Don't see many "new" changes coming by and surely not as much activity as there used to be a few years back!
Well, i know Ruby came in and then we put it on Rails, but even that IMHO is not a pathbreakingly different. I know Ruby is not Java but of the many things that changed in this software world, Ruby needs a worthy mention!

Recent focus surely has been to make things more simple, more usable and to build a larger and loyal user community. I cannot think of any other language that is as feature rich and as versatile as Java. User community and open source contributions for this know no bounds! I have a subscription to sourgeforge.net and get daily emails from it and the number of product notifications I see daily is really amazing. There is probably a product built every single day! May be even more !!

Well, now I am deviating surely...started out talking about how they was nothing new and am now towing the other line...Well, not exactly :)..
Java was a such a big thing when it happened (it still is!, but now it is an accepted reality) that anything and everything else pales in comparison! It changed so many things! Open source software is surely on the rise..Java runs anywhere and that is a big thing for a developer or a software product manufacturer..An open source developing will surely find it heartening that his creation would be "universally" used and his potential would be recognised by a bigger community..Wealth probably is not the biggest/only factor an open source developer would develop things for..Fame and Peer recognition and the satisfaction that his/her creation would be used many will surely rate higher or alongside wealth! And Java made all this easy....Opensource communities are surely very big drivers for innovation..Technology companies invest quite a bit in R&D, but that is not just sufficient. Opensource user bases are big and well glued and the motivation to build something different is not exactly driven by money and that is a big factor! When your objectives are not tied to each other, you do better..maybe because your focus is in the right direction and that is exactly what happens here..I can never forget something the CEO of Pramati (I used to work for this J2EE startup) said ... "Follow Saraswati with utmost dedication and Lakshmi will follow you". Sarawati is our Hindu Goddess for Knowledge and Lakshmi is our Goddess for Wealth. How very right he was !!!!! Pramati is surely doing very well now and can be counted as a very successful startup from India!
Coming to what next :)..I don't want to think about it :)..Even if I mention something now, it will surely be outdated by the time you read this....Such is this world !!!

Well, not exactly a good time for coffee now, but after talking about Java for so long, my mind needs a Java retreat. I will add something to my cup and make it better...tired of the same old stuff ;)