Java compatibility? (was Re: Not a bash, just the facts)

[Alan McKinnon]

On Sunday 26 March 2006 10:44, Matthew R. Dempsky wrote:
> On Sun, Mar 26, 2006 at 09:25:43AM +0100, Daniel Carrera wrote:
> > So, you saw several compilers at a programming competition and
> > then *assume* that they must not be compatible. You don't make a
> > strong case.
>
> The folks running the event made repeated efforts at expressing the
> importance that the participants correctly specify which version of
> Java they used, and there were numerous questions about which
> versions were available and how to select the JVM used by Eclipse.

With Java there's a trade-off with being able to run the same code 
across many platforms, and backwards compatibility. An app coded to 
1.4.2 will run on any 1.4.2 compliant VM *or later*.

Take generics - very useful, very desired and implementing them is a 
damn good idea, not implementing them is a bad idea. But you need a 
1.5 or later vm. Run time compatibility wins the contest.

If I organized a Java coding contest, I too would provide 3 vms and 
compilers, with a rule that your code must compile and run in all 
three.

> Explain why they would make such a big fuss if they were all
> compatible.

Because good Java code runs unmodified on another vm, and this is how 
to test it?

-- 
Alan McKinnon
alan at linuxholdings dot co dot za
+27 82, double three seven, one nine three five