Re: Java in OS?
RAMPOD SW Development (msmith@quix.robins.af.mil)
Mon, 6 May 1996 10:22:59 -0400 (EDT)
I think people should slow down with the Java craze. For one thing,
there is need to have it in the kernel. User space works. Most importantly,
Java is not the answer to everything, it is very young, and still has
a lot of loose ends. Before people fall into the trap of thinking Java
is going to take over, look back at the C++ craze. C++ started very well
with Bjourne/cfront. A lot of work has gone into standardizing,
but even though I am a faithful C++ guy, it still has some ridiculous
problems. Templates, for example, are great for things like containers,
and most C++ books, including ARM and Design & Ev. of C++ describe
their use very clearly. Go try to design around templates and then
compile your app. with GCC, Solaris Proworks C++ and Borland C++. You
will notice that each compiler does instantiation differently.
You are required to learn compiler specific switches and macros
to get a compile. Sun's C++ uses a braindead database that still takes
3x as long to compile as GCC.
Sun is trying to control the featuritis problem but as we speak companies
are providing their own extensions to the Java API. If your app uses some
cool API, then it must be included in the applet for others to run it.
Another problem that many hard-core C++ followers have with Java, is the
spirit of the language. The reason C++ has featuritis is because it is
so flexible and forces little upon the programmer. Java, on the other hand,
seeks to force a certain OOP mindset on you, even when it makes no sense.
I have to write a class with a static function just to say Hello world?
Ok, I'll shut-up, since I am completely off subject.
This is the linux-java-bsd-c-c++-mud-freeVMS-cajun-cooking-kernel-list, right?
-MS