The executive committee for Java SE/EE has approved the new JSR-275 to add units/quantities to the Java platform (see JSR-275 results). Although the early specification/implementation of the units package provided by the wide-ranging JScience open-source project has to be simplified significantly according to Google Inc. executive member.
Will it do furlongs per fortnight?
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLD,G…
Gotta love how big companies are controlling the API for a scientific library. What do Google and JBoss have to do with JScience? Why should their opinion matter more than others? Also there’s the issue that java will likely never add built-in syntactic support for units, like: Speed s = 100mi/1hr. This is another reason for completely open source languages and compilers (such as groovy or boo) where you can adapt the design yourself if need be.
Unit<Length> FURLONG = MILES.times(0.125);
Unit<Duration> FORTNIGHT = DAY_CALENDAR.times(14);
Unit<Velocity> FURLONG_PER_FORTNIGHT = FURLONG.divide(FORTNIGHT);
Big companies do not control the API for the scientific library. But the Java Community Process (JCP) elected members do control the future of Java by approving/rejecting Java Specification Request (JSR). It happens that representatives from large corporations (e.g. Google) have been voted in.
Note: Anybody can have JCP membership and vote to elect the executive members.