More Java guidelines questions

[Colin Walters]

2008/4/27 Callum Lerwick <seg at haxxed.com>:
>
>  IMHO the only reason Java bytecode exists is to make it possible to
>  distribute "run anywhere" proprietary software while keeping the source
>  code closed.

No.  Even originally, that isn't true.  Having separate source and
binary formats gives you a lot of flexibility; for example you can
compile source code that uses new features into an older bytecode in a
compatibility mode.

If you think the reason it's still around is just obfuscation, try
using a modern decompiler.

> Thus in an open source environment, Java bytecode has
>  little reason to exist. If we're going to *distribute* compiled code, it
>  may as well be nice fast native code.

1) Hotspot does a fine job of creating native code.
2) There are a *ton* of languages other than Java that run on top of
the JVM that compile to bytecode.  JRuby, to name one.
3) It's simply not worth trying to go against the grain of the entire
Java community here.