Java OSS

2001-03-03 Thread Artur Radosz
Something more positive :)
http://www.oreillynet.com/cs/user/view/wlg/119



Java 2 in Debian Main

2001-03-03 Thread Evan Prodromou
> "AR" == Artur Radosz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:

AR> I also would imagine that some day there will be free Java2
AR> implementation. And we could drop non-free :)

Well, I believe anyone who -wants- there to be a Free Java 2
implementation in Debian could probably work on one of the following
projects:

* Kaffe: http://www.kaffe.org/

A GPL'd JVM, currently at JDK 1.1.x level with some stuff
missing.

* Japhar: http://www.japhar.org/

An LGPL'd JVM, currently somewhere around 1.1. No standard
classes.

* GCJ: http://gcc.gnu.org/java/ 

A native compiler for Java. Somewhere around 1.1 at this
point.

* Classpath: http://www.gnu.org/software/classpath/classpath.html

A "clean room" reimplementation of the standard Java
classes. Make Japhar work without JDK.

If someone is really hep to make Java 2-based programs part of Debian,
I think they should start here.

~ESP 

-- 
Evan Prodromou
[EMAIL PROTECTED]




Re: Quitting debian-java

2001-03-03 Thread Stephane Bortzmeyer
On Friday 2 March 2001, at 18 h 51, 
Alexander Hvostov <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> Those who believe Java and free software is a sad landscape are woefully
> unaware of reality... 

I must confess my lack of experience with Java. Certainly you run far more 
Java programs than me. And I have to admit my lack of competence, too. 
Certainly, you can run Freenet, xt or Cocoon with kaffe.

Soap box: the thing I like with free software is the no-bullshit marketing. 
This principle is sometimes ignored, specially when it comes to Java.

> If this were the case, why does GNU seem to
> wholeheartedly support it? They even have a page devoted to GNU Java
> software!

Updated: 20 Jan 2000 rms 

Enough said.





Free Java software. was: Quitting debian-java

2001-03-03 Thread Greg Wilkins
I think Stephanes criticism of the free JVM landscape is quiet correct, and 
there is no clear
way forward to resolve many off them...
However, I'd like to stress that there is a big distinction between a free JVM 
and free java software.
Java is a rich environment for free software (eg 1802 java projects on 
sourceforge vs 3616 C projects)
and there are many "real programs" that have been written for JRE<1.3.  (OK not 
many of them
include usable GUIs but IMHO java is better suited to the server side).
Furthermore, while Sun can be criticized for many things, you have to 
acknowledge that they have
developed a language and process that at least allow, more often positively 
encourage free
implementations of java APIs.
So while the road to a free JVM may well be rocky and full of legal pot holes, 
it is
a worthwhile one to go down.  I hope that somebody does step forward to 
champion the cause
in debian, if only to feedback to the free JVM developers where their projects 
are falling short.
As the developer of a major piece of free Java software, I can't take on this 
role myself
but am happy to lend support, opinions, etc. to whomever does.
regards
Stephane Bortzmeyer wrote:
[If you want me to read your messages, copy them to me: I've unsubscribed.]
 
I'm changing, I'm leaving for a new employer and, in my new office, I will no longer use Java (which is a good thing for me, see hereunder).

Therefore, I stop maintaining java-common (I will send an official ITO unless 
someone steps in really fast) and the proposed Java policy.
One of the reasons I stop using Java is that it is too painful when you are 
commited to free software: most real programs depend on non-free (JDK >= 1.3, 
Swing). Even for those who do not, gcj and kaffe (unlike jikes) are, in their 
released versions, far from being 100 % ready. At least for kaffe, the problems of 
insufficient releases is worse in Debian because the package is too old.
Worse, many people in the free software world seem to care very little about 
the problem (the Apache group is a terrible example).
Another reason is the lack of standards in the way compilers and VMs are run, 
making the installation of every new jar a problem (defining environment 
variables, etc). The proposed Java policy tried to solve this and I would 
suggest that work on it resume. It is a tough job: everybody will disagree, few 
will suggest workable and proven solutions.

--
Greg Wilkins<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>  GB Ph/Fax: +44(0)7092 063462
Mort Bay Consulting Australia and UK.  http://www.mortbay.com



Java 2 in Debian Main

2001-03-03 Thread Evan Prodromou

> "AR" == Artur Radosz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:

AR> I also would imagine that some day there will be free Java2
AR> implementation. And we could drop non-free :)

Well, I believe anyone who -wants- there to be a Free Java 2
implementation in Debian could probably work on one of the following
projects:

* Kaffe: http://www.kaffe.org/

A GPL'd JVM, currently at JDK 1.1.x level with some stuff
missing.

* Japhar: http://www.japhar.org/

An LGPL'd JVM, currently somewhere around 1.1. No standard
classes.

* GCJ: http://gcc.gnu.org/java/ 

A native compiler for Java. Somewhere around 1.1 at this
point.

* Classpath: http://www.gnu.org/software/classpath/classpath.html

A "clean room" reimplementation of the standard Java
classes. Make Japhar work without JDK.

If someone is really hep to make Java 2-based programs part of Debian,
I think they should start here.

~ESP 

-- 
Evan Prodromou
[EMAIL PROTECTED]


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Re: Quitting debian-java

2001-03-03 Thread Stephane Bortzmeyer

On Friday 2 March 2001, at 18 h 51, 
Alexander Hvostov <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> Those who believe Java and free software is a sad landscape are woefully
> unaware of reality... 

I must confess my lack of experience with Java. Certainly you run far more 
Java programs than me. And I have to admit my lack of competence, too. 
Certainly, you can run Freenet, xt or Cocoon with kaffe.

Soap box: the thing I like with free software is the no-bullshit marketing. 
This principle is sometimes ignored, specially when it comes to Java.

> If this were the case, why does GNU seem to
> wholeheartedly support it? They even have a page devoted to GNU Java
> software!

Updated: 20 Jan 2000 rms 

Enough said.



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Free Java software. was: Quitting debian-java

2001-03-03 Thread Greg Wilkins


I think Stephanes criticism of the free JVM landscape is quiet correct, and there is 
no clear
way forward to resolve many off them...

However, I'd like to stress that there is a big distinction between a free JVM and 
free java software.

Java is a rich environment for free software (eg 1802 java projects on sourceforge vs 
3616 C projects)
and there are many "real programs" that have been written for JRE<1.3.  (OK not many 
of them
include usable GUIs but IMHO java is better suited to the server side).

Furthermore, while Sun can be criticized for many things, you have to acknowledge that 
they have
developed a language and process that at least allow, more often positively encourage 
free
implementations of java APIs.

So while the road to a free JVM may well be rocky and full of legal pot holes, it is
a worthwhile one to go down.  I hope that somebody does step forward to champion the 
cause
in debian, if only to feedback to the free JVM developers where their projects are 
falling short.

As the developer of a major piece of free Java software, I can't take on this role 
myself
but am happy to lend support, opinions, etc. to whomever does.

regards


Stephane Bortzmeyer wrote:

> [If you want me to read your messages, copy them to me: I've unsubscribed.]
>  
> I'm changing, I'm leaving for a new employer and, in my new office, I will no longer 
>use Java (which is a good thing for me, see hereunder).
> 
> Therefore, I stop maintaining java-common (I will send an official ITO unless 
>someone steps in really fast) and the proposed Java policy.
> 
> One of the reasons I stop using Java is that it is too painful when you are commited 
>to free software: most real programs depend on non-free (JDK >= 1.3, Swing). Even for 
>those who do not, gcj and kaffe (unlike jikes) are, in their released versions, far 
>from being 100 % ready. At least for kaffe, the problems of insufficient releases is 
>worse in Debian because the package is too old.
> 
> Worse, many people in the free software world seem to care very little about the 
>problem (the Apache group is a terrible example).
> 
> Another reason is the lack of standards in the way compilers and VMs are run, making 
>the installation of every new jar a problem (defining environment variables, etc). 
>The proposed Java policy tried to solve this and I would suggest that work on it 
>resume. It is a tough job: everybody will disagree, few will suggest workable and 
>proven solutions.
> 


-- 
Greg Wilkins<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>  GB Ph/Fax: +44(0)7092 063462
Mort Bay Consulting Australia and UK.  http://www.mortbay.com


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To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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