Re: Questions for the Java Open Source "Debate" at JavaOne

Joseph Shraibman wrote:
> Glenn Holmer wrote:
> 
>> Gerald Bauer wrote:
>>
>>>   Tom writes:

>>> It is
>>> pretty hard for Linux vendors to ship a working JRE on
>>> their platform if they make any sort of changes at all
>>
>> Well, that's the idea, isn't it?  Java is certified by Sun
>> to run the same on every platform it's licensed for, and
>> as a programmer who's been developing with Java for six
>> years, I depend on that.  Open-source it and it'll fork.
> 
> OTOH it is really annoying when I find a simple bug in javamail that 
> could by fixed with two lines of code, but not be able to get a fix 
> until the next annual official release.

I agree, there are some bugs that have waited way too long for
a fix.

> Why would you assume that open source developers will fork it in a way 
> that breaks compatibility?  Why do you think they'd want to do that?

I don't think anybody consciously wants to break compatibility,
but I think it would simply be too tempting to add Just One Cool
Feature(tm).  That's the way Open Source works: when a programmer
feels an itch, he codes.  And that's OK for the kernel, or maybe
XFree86, and for applications.  But it's not OK for a programming
language.

-- 
____________________________________________________________
Glenn Holmer                          [email protected]
Programmer/Analyst                       phone: 414-908-1809
Weyco Group, Inc.                          fax: 414-908-1601


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