Re: X-2 Ramblings

<snip>
To Rob's original point which touched on the pain of the various JVMs
for i: The Java *language* has actually been quite good about
preserving compatibility with earlier versions. In principle, any
valid Java 2 source code is valid Java 5 source code. I would say
there is a *useful* subset of Java which is valid on essentially all
JVMs.
</snip>

Probably.
<snip>
Yes, of course the real world can get a little messy.
</snip>

And here is where the rub is. No one wants to code using 8 year old
technology. There is a reason that there are newer versions of java. New
features have been added, 'oddities' have been fixed, additional support
has been added, and so on. People do not want to keep coding for ancient
stuff. "People on this other platform have these cool features" "Sorry,
but that would require Java x and we aren't allowed to use that because we
have to support all these back releases of IBM i"

Even "mainstream" IBM i shops are saying "You have to be on a current
version of IBM i for our to get any upgrades, patches, support, etc".
I question how long "current" will mean X-2. As of September 30 support
for 6.1 is gone, including by some of the 3rd parties. They've formally
announced it. That should mean they should be able to code using stuff
only available on 7.1 or higher. Start using the highest Java engine
available on 7.1, etc.


Rob Berendt