Hello all.
I'm poking around Cygnus' gcj/libgcj code, and came across their Java
code (libgcj/libjava), which is YAPICJCL (Yet Another Partially
Implemented Cleanroom Java Class Library). I thought I'd ask here
before I ask on the Cygnus list:
a) Is there a good reason to have a totally separate set of .java files
from those in classpath (given that both are LGPL)? Obviously a lot of
java.lang, etc., needs to be different based on virtual machine (or lack
thereof), but not the pure-Java stuff. I know Kaffe has its own
implementation, and that's based on (theoretically at least) the
different design tradeoffs to target embedded systems. So a sub-query
here is whether GCJ's design requirements are fundamentally different
than Classpath's.
a++) One notes that libgcj is copyrighted by Cygnus, and Classpath is
copyrighted by FSF -- is this a showstopper? I thought the point of
assigning copyright to the FSF was so that if necessary we could be
legally defended by them and so on; I'm sure Cygnus can take care of
itself in that regard.
b) Even if there are some fundamental differences, is there code in
libgcj that we can immediately bring in to Classpath, or vice versa?
(Per Bothner, are you on this list?) I've been thinking that GCJ and
Classpath are complimentary projects, not competing ones, correct me if
I'm wrong.
c) Has anyone tried running gcj against classpath classes?
d) Is there any talk afoot (hmm, mixed metaphor) of GCJ working with
Japhar? One of the key differences between GCJ and some commercial
products like TowerJ is that GCJ at present lacks a Java interpreter,
which breaks things like network classloaders and makes dynamic class
instantiation difficult unless all classes are cooked into the
native-compiled code. (I'm thinking specifically that this is a
show-stopper for bean-dependent code, as well as JSP.) I'd love to see
a three-headed hydra of Japhar + Classpath + GCJ take the Java world by
storm. Note that I don't think this means combining development any
more so than Japhar and Classpath are integrated right now.
Anyway, tell me now if these are dumb questions before I march off to my
doom at [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Wes
(who should probably be doing more coding and less philosophizing)
