Phasing out redundant java compilers/runtimes

[Onkar Shinde]

Hi all,

As per my discussion with ´persia´ on #ubuntu-motu channel I am
proposing here removal of redundant java compilers/runtimes. The focus
of this mail is sun-java5-* packages and kaffe.
Reasons for phasing out sun-java5-* and kaffe.
1. sun-java5-* packages are superceeded by sun-java6-* and any program
that runs with sun-java5-jre shgould also run with sun-java6-jre.
2. kaffe is quite outdated (correct me if I am wrong). The Free java
compiler of choice these days is GCJ, since icedtea is yet work in
progress and GCJ is quite mature.

The path to achive this should be as follows.
1. Find packages that have ´Build-Depends' or ´Build-Depends-Indep´ on
kaffee or sun-java5-jdk.
2. Try to build the packages with one of the GCJ
(java-gcj-compat-dev), sun-java6-jdk, icedtea-java7-jdk.
3. Once all the packages are migrated remove both kaffe and
sun-java5-* packages.

I am planning to complete this process in Hardy release cycle itself.

Please let me know your comments and suggestions.


Onkar
-- 
Passion - Some people climb mountains - others write Free software.
Don't ask why - the reason is the same.