[ltp] Java pre-1.5 and post 1.5

Bret Comstock Waldow linux-thinkpad@linux-thinkpad.org
Sat, 31 Dec 2005 09:21:12 +1300


--nextPart1428897.7oxoEMPLzI
Content-Type: text/plain;
  charset="utf-8"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Content-Disposition: inline

On Fri, 30 Dec 2005 23:27, Peter B. West wrote:

> I can't recall the details, to tell you the truth.  But I was strongly
> advised to keep the system JVM as 1.4.2 and to set only my user as 1.5.
> The problem is something to do with updates for many Java-based packages
> being unable to compile with 1.5.

Ah, yes.  Sun changed the language.  They introduced some new keywords and=
=20
some new paradigms.

In some cases, people had been 'faking' similar functionality (the consiste=
nt=20
demand for which contributed to Sun deciding to put it in the language), an=
d=20
so there are possible collisions between the new keywords and those same=20
names used as user defined objects previously.

So, code written pre-1.5 might contain constructs that mean something else=
=20
with 1.5.  There are flags to tell 1.5 to take this into account, but the=20
language is changing, and so there is a transittion period.


The system user is the environment that recompiles any java packages (along=
=20
with all the other pacckages) during 'emerge' operations - hence the=20
suggestion to keep a 1.4 environment for the system user - so legacy code=20
will compile cleanly.  The actual users don't do that, and may arrange thei=
r=20
environment to their liking and deal with the consequences themselves.


> I have no reason to maintain a 1.4.2 installation.

But of course.  As you point out, there is no need to.


> If anyone has a reason or desire to maintain dual environments, good
> luck to them.  I don't, and I don't see why I should be obliged to.

Only for the sake of 'emerge -e' with legacy packages that weren't psychic=
=20
enough to anticipate the changes Sun would make in 1.5...

Cheers,
Bret

--nextPart1428897.7oxoEMPLzI
Content-Type: application/pgp-signature

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.4.1 (GNU/Linux)

iD8DBQBDtZa8922F8D4woqURAtrQAJ47TpHiy3+JV8GUy0jadz+TOxLCBQCfRSwi
KHmG533CcPJ2kJaTg6M/r/M=
=wvac
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

--nextPart1428897.7oxoEMPLzI--