[2138] in java-interest
Re: Java as developers tool
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Smiljan Grmek - KSI ZGB)
Tue Sep 26 01:02:10 1995
Date: Tue, 26 Sep 1995 03:32:28 +0100 (MET)
From: Smiljan Grmek - KSI ZGB <sgrmek@public.srce.hr>
To: Michael Lorton <mlorton@eshop.com>
cc: java-interest@java.sun.com
In-Reply-To: <199509251725.KAA06628@eshop.com>
On Mon, 25 Sep 1995, Michael Lorton wrote:
> Reminds me so say some things I have been meaning to say for a while.
>
> 1. If there is no available API, and you are planning to do an
> implementation, write it as an *interface*. That way, people can use
> your implementation without becoming tethered to it.
>
> 2. Sun ought to have an informat interface-approval process (based, I
> suppose, on RFCs). Standardize database, R-E, encryption, what have
> you.
>
I agree completetely. And there are a few things to trash about:
From articles and previous discussions on this list (in alphatime), I
really got the impression that Java would be as close as possible to the
independent software developer's dream: free, ubiquitios (means found
almost anywhere), supported by a major company, running on most platforms
- and nice to write (a bonus!).
Now (in betatime) we see restrictions in essential classes, hear about
licencing problems and fail to hear a commitment from Sun to become a
certification agency. This prompts me to pose a few questions for
discussion, mainly from a standpoint of a full application developer.
1. Certification of Java *interpreters* - if somebody develops an
on-the-fly compiler or throw-away-code system for Java execution, will
Sun (or whoever) certify it or will it wander around the net accompanied
by rumors -it works-it doesnt-it is leaky-...
The interpeters will have to be distributed through secure channels anyway.
2. A plea to Sun to explicitly leave a trap opcode for on-the-fly things
(of course not in official HotJava). The debug opcode may be used, but....
3. A very clear statement of position on using published classes in
commercial products. Some of them are very attractive - e.g. to develop
an HTML editor, the browser classes are tempting.
4. Some sort of users' group and class repository for contributed
software. This should be tested and graded.
5. Some assurances that future safe interpreters will run the potentially
unsafe code in larger local applications.
So getting this off the chest, it would be nice to hear from people who
are considering Java for their main development platform - ensuring
portability and GUI encapsulation.
Have total hilarity
Smi
Smiljan Grmek
KSI Zagreb
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