Since Java Grinder (a Java byte-code compiler) already supports the Motorola 68000 CPU with the Sega Genesis I figured it shouldn’t be too hard to extend the MC68000.cxx class to support the Commodore Amiga computer. More specifically, the original Amiga 1000.
Amazing.
It’s a nifty thing, but I don’t see it getting much use. Java isn’t exactly a language meant for older less powerful systems. Other than the novelty, it has nothing that can’t be done better and easier in C or assembly, two of the primary tools for older less powerful systems. I’d say a third would be BASIC.
The achievement by itself tells a lot about its author. Then there are people knowing more about Java than C or assembly. Plus the advantage of Java are the language itself (don’t blame me, Java is indeed a rather correct language, despite all the mythology surrounding it), the available IDEs, frameworks and compilers to output the expected byte-code you just have to convert using the tool provided. The idea is good, and you can do as much mess with C with bad pointers than with Java. What you can do now is enhance the converter with an optimizer to output state of the art “handmade”-like binaries.