I have to admit feeling excited but anxious about the 1.2 port. I'm forced to
do my development under Windows right now because 1.2 isn't yet available for
Linux.
The lack of visibility on the porting process makes it easy to forget that
the people doing the port are working very hard and not getting paid. But
I suppose it would be nice to see the status updated periodically (realizing,
of course, that this entails additional work). The lack of information is
amazingly demoralizing.
Also, if the Intel version is already ready (as the status message on the web
site seems to imply--or rather, seemed to; I can't find it now), it would be
nice to check it out, even if it's just alpha or beta at this point.
In any case, you guys will be heroes when you release it. I'm really looking
forward to it. Keep up the good work!
Tony
Nelson Minar wrote:
> >Judging from the volume of "when will 1.2 be ready?" messages, it's
> >clear that interest in the Blackdown work is reaching some sort of
> >critical mass.
>
> With 1.1.7, Linux is either the best or second best Unix platform for
> running Java. Solaris is obviously alright, but most of the other Java
> ports (SGI, Digital Unix, etc) have really bad problems. The Blackdown
> team has produced quality. Combine that with the general interest in
> Linux and you can see why Java on Linux is so desired. Heck, we even
> had one of Sun's big distributed Java gurus asking us when 1.2 would
> be ported for Linux :-)
>
> >Perhaps when the dust settles from the 1.2 port, it might be possible
> >to arrange more formal and detailed visibility into what work is
> >being done, what's under consideration, what's of interest, and progress.
>
> I'd like to see more information about the porting process myself, but
> that's asking the porting team to do even *more* work. The old rules
> for Java made doing a Linux-style port awkward; things had to be
> discussed in secret, code couldn't be released, etc. What's the impact
> of the new community source licensing? Maybe we can open up the
> porting process some? I haven't reviewed the licenses well enough.
>
> A second thing to watch is the growth of Japhar and Classpath. My
> impression is that this code is quality, that we might soon see a
> truly viable open source Java. Of course, I said that about Kaffe too,
> but that's never quite come to fruition.
>
> Another interesting option is to see if we can get financial support
> for the Linux porters. I was sort of hoping Sun would do this, by
> donating some engineers' time, but maybe that's not come together.
> Maybe some of the companies relying on Java/Linux could be convinced
> to chip in some money? That would again put more responsibility on the
> part of the porters, but in this case with a reward for doing it.
>
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> . . . . . . . . http://www.media.mit.edu/~nelson/
--
-------------------------------------------------------
Tony Pujals
ObjectMedia, Inc.
Tel: (408) 255-2700 x101
Fax: (408) 255-5553
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Web: http://www.objectmedia.com
Unite for Java - Join the Java Lobby Now!
http://www.javalobby.org
"It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that that Swing"
