I have to agree. The main problem Sun seems to have is that are
working on new APIs while never fixing real design problems because
they want to maintain "backward compatibility". Just take a look
at the 1.2 (oops it is called Java 2 now) release, it still "supports"
the old AWT 1.0 event model (if you have not experienced the sheer joy
of early AWT programming you might live 10 years longer). Now bad
graphics is one thing, but I am surprised there has not been a
larger outcry over the implementation of exec() in Java. I requested
that Sun "enhance" (the term they use for fixing a basic design flaw)
Java to support exec() from a given directory over a year ago
(see Javasoft RFE (BUG) number 4156278) and they just posted a responce
about a week ago! This bug has over 100 "bug votes" and is now one of
the top 10 most requested RFEs, and yet it took they an entire year to
even comment on it.
Check out
http://developer.javasoft.com/developer/bugParade/bugs/4156278.html
(you will need to be a registered javasoft developer to go to this URL)
To be honest, I am thinking about giving up on Sun Java and using IBM
for Windows and Kaffe for Linux. That does not fix the borken API
problem but at least a developer has a fighting chance with the free
Java implementations out there.
later
Mo DeJong
Frustrated Java Developer
On Sat, 10 Jul 1999, Brad Pepers wrote:
> Rachit Siamwalla wrote:
> >
> > > Agreed, Swing JFC is one of the best API design ever. Java 2D/ DnD is excellent
> > > and JMF appears to be well though out. I await Java Sound with baited breath.
> > >
> >
> > I don't 100% agree with the comment about JFC. Some things in JFC are
> > well written like the JTree and the JTable and the Text components. But
> > the rest seem slapped together and hard to customize without creating
> > your own components. Another thing is it is scary how slow they seem to
> > fix problems. I heard from someone who went to JavaOne last year that
> > they have 10 people devoted to Swing. How long has JFC came out? A lot
> > of repeatable problems have not been fixed. This is amazingly bad. What
> > have they been doing? The interface hasn't changed significantly. All
> > there is to do is fix thier bugs. Oh well...
>
> I can't even go that far since JTable has its own problems. Like you
> mentioned its hard to customize without creating your own component and
> its also almost useless for data entry. In general the whole thing is
> missing so much basical functionality that you end up spending all your
> time subclassing their components. Little things like the simplest of
> data validation (limiting the number of characters entered for instance)
> require you to write code when it should be basic functionality of the
> component.
>
> I think they've had to spend *way* too much time on getting the whole
> switchable look and feel working and in doing so have left out basic
> functionality. Its also so complicated its hard to subclass and get
> control of the behaviour when you need to (and I also suspect this is
> the source of the bugs and why they can't fix them). They should have
> just worked on a light weight set of components with a rich set of
> functionality and a nice look and feel. AWT is bad because it relies
> on the underlying graphics lib which creates subtle differences in
> functionality between operating systems but JFC seems to be just as bad
> by trying to cater to everyone they have made a system not very good
> for anyone.
>
> If its not obvious, I've been working with Swing for a while now and had
> nothing but frustration. 8^)
>
> Rant mode off.
>
> Are there other options out there?
>
> --
> Brad Pepers
> Linux Canada Inc. Home of Linux products in Canada!
> http://www.linuxcanada.com Proud supporter of Cyclades, Red
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hat, and Caldera.
>
>
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