On Tue, 2005-06-07 at 12:36 +1000, Peter Donald wrote: > [A] Suns rt.jar and derivatives (such as IBMs) class libraries > [B] GNU Classpaths class libraries [..] > In an ideal world Harmony VM would be able to use either [A] or [B] > with a small adapter layer. Much like MMTk can be used in multiple VMs > with a small adapter layer.
If you have downloaded Harmony, which intends to be a full JDK including a VM and class library, why would you want to be able to use that with the class library from a different JDK? Disregarding the illegality of distributing such a combo, there is no good practical reason for wanting that either. > It seems unlikely that either [A] or [B] is going to invest the time in > trying to develop a common VM interface because they are not interested in > facilitating reuse of the alternative. Java specifications are created by the JCP and not Sun. This issue should be raised there before jumping to conclusions like that. And as a Classpath developer (but speaking for myself), I feel that we would be quite happy to use a common VM interface, if there was a such a specification. Unless of course if it was so extremely bad, that all the Classpath-using VMs refused to use it. Which I think is unlikely. > So it is probably going to be up to a third party like Harmony to > investigate a common VM layer. Harmony is not a third party. We're all in this together. However, Harmony can help solve this. Apache has a good standing in the JCP, and thus better chances than most for getting this specified. > I am not sure it is going to be possible either technically or politically > but it > is an interesting idea and worth trying. The politics are easier when you work from an open mind. /Sven
