GNU Java vs. Sun Java: What's the difference, what is better?

[Dotan Cohen]

On 23/12/06, Martin Marcher <martin.marcher at openforce.com> wrote:
>
> Am 22.12.2006 um 20:01 schrieb Dotan Cohen:
>
> > What are the differences between the GNU and Sun Javas? I know that
> > Sun invented Java and that it was just made open source. But what I
> > need to know are what are the differences from a user's perspective?
>
> referencing your next sentence you are not a normal user (university
> work) most users don't even know what java is. And if your university
> expects you to do homework/seminar/whatever work in java, save
> yourself the hassle and use Sun's java.

Oh, university work is not considered normal? I didn't think so, either :)
I think that most people do in fact know what java is, at least those
who know what a mouse is, and what Firefox is. I don't consider the
uneducated-and-don't-want-to-learn as normal users.

> I tried it only once to use jikes, ibm java, gnu java (given about 2
> years ago or something like that - dark period, lots of coffee and
> cigarettes) but finally sticked with sun because it will just work(r)
> (in most cases but if you know that you need a certain java version
> for something to work you won't be the one asking about gnu java any
> more)
>
> Note: By no means I think that the quality of gnu java is bad, it's
> just that it doesn't fully work, especially if (and I'm pretty sure
> they do) your employee/teacher uses sun's java and expects your
> program to just work(r)
>

I agree. Even if GNU Java is the best Java out there, it is different
than what Mathnet was written for, and I don't want to discover what
the differences are 10 minutes before I must complete an assignment.

Thanks for the advice.

Dotan Cohen

http://technology-sleuth.com/long_answer/what_is_hdtv.html
http://what-is-what.com/what_is/ajax.html