GNU Classpath includes all native methods and core classes necessary for a completely functional Java runtime. This release features X.509 certificate path checking, signed JAR file support, full java.awt.color implementation, java.beans 1.4 updates, an improved build process, better AWT focus management, much faster and better fonts support, AWT Choice fixes, HTTP POST fixes, better collection documentation, Calendar bugfixes, lookahead support for regular expressions, fixes for jtree, and improved Eclipse 3 support.
GNU Classpath 0.12 Released; Full JDK 1.0 Compatibility
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Eugenia Loli
Ex-programmer, ex-editor in chief at OSNews.com, now a visual artist/filmmaker.
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I would hate to be the one in charge of implementing classes/methods that were deprecated years ago.
Well, you have to start from somewhere, and you have to pass the Sun tests. So implementing some dead functions, is necessary to a point.
Hmm…they got quite some catching up to do.
Once GNU Classpath get’s level with Sun’s java, we’re gonna be needing a free JVM…
Anybody know about a non-dead free JVM implementation?
Kaffe…
http://www.kaffe.org/
…is alive and kicking I think. At least there is always plenty of traffic on their mailinglist…
gcj
Now this is really cool. I think that Eclipse in major distros will add real momentum to gcj/classpath. I wonder which distro will be first to integrate Eclipse 3 now. I would also like to note that new cvs version of CDT (C++) plugin for Eclipse supports new Managed Build System. It means you are able to use one workspace accross various platforms, compiling tools, debuggers, profilers, configurations etc.
It should be noted that they’ve come pretty far on compatibility up to JDK 1.4. JDK 1.1 is nearly done ( http://www.kaffe.org/~stuart/japi/htmlout/h-jdk11-classpath.html ). Sure, there’s still a lot of work to be done, but their not as far behind as you might think.
Do anybnody know a little bit more about the Classpath-Mascot at http://www.gnu.org/graphics/drop-1.jpg ?
It seems to be the counteropart to Duke.
Whats the name of the Classpath-mascot?
Who have created it?
Existing more images of it then drop-[1-10].jpg?
Existing images of it, where this mascot is in other situations (like the different dukes, here are some of it: http://www.jograham.com/pchaduke.htm )
And existing general more information about the nice Classpath-mascot?
Kaffe, GCJ, SableVM is all active, not only alive.
Agreed. JDK 1.1 does appear to be near completion.
The real challenge will be JDK 1.2 (78.77% complete):
http://www.kaffe.org/~stuart/japi/htmlout/h-jdk12-classpath.html
Once Swing and the other minor JDK 1.2 features are fully implemented, JDK 1.3, and JDK 1.4 should fall into play very quickly.
Great work.
Classpath has AFAIK only functions that are actually used in real world. Therefore, it is much more 1.4 ready then it looks from the title of this article. Your 1.4 application will likely work fine (just like Eclipse). “Big” missing parts are sound and org.* area, but it seems that there is no too much demand… Also, Swing is incomplete, but moving forword in quite amasing speed.
No, sound is not missing. It is rather out-sourced.
Tritonus: Open Source Java Sound
http://www.tritonus.org/
Kaffe uses Tritonus together with Classpath.
“It should be noted that they’ve come pretty far on compatibility up to JDK 1.4. JDK 1.1 is nearly done ( http://www.kaffe.org/~stuart/japi/htmlout/h-jdk11-classpath.html ). Sure, there’s still a lot of work to be done, but their not as far behind as you might think.”
Glad to hear it! Keep up the good work!
Now this is really cool. I think that Eclipse in major distros will add real momentum to gcj/classpath. I wonder which distro will be first to integrate Eclipse 3 now.
Are you talking about Linux Distros? SUSE 9.2 Professional (for one) includes Eclipse 3.
Doesn’t Redhat already distribute a GCJ compiled version of Eclipse 3, or are they distributing an older version?
I know Redhat has done a lot of work to get Eclipse to compile with GCJ.
Red Hat has a beta rpm of GCJ Eclipse for RHEL. There were plans to include it in Fedora Core 3… but they didn’t work out I guess. Also, it was only Eclipse version 2.1. I hope to foresee a Sun Java free Eclipse 3 soon, so that it can be included in all distro’s.
From what I recall from reading the GCJ mailing list, Redhat people have done a lot of work on Classpath/GCJ in general. It seems to be a major part of their business plan.
I used to wonder why they don’t just use Python instead, but I suppose it could be their enterprise customers asking for Java.
Are you talking about Linux Distros? SUSE 9.2 Professional (for one) includes Eclipse 3.
Yes, but AFAIK only non-free distros can distribute SUN JRE (legal problems). GCJ/Classpath will change this, I hope, becouse it makes eclipse.tar.gz possible.
… which will evolve faster, the free-as-in-speech java implementations (classpath+..) or the free-as-in-speech .net implementations (Mono, dotgun)? Since free-as-in-beer Java is available for Linux, is there less incentive to work on a free java version? Or is the abundance of already existing real-world java applications a stronger incentive to work on it, compared to the small number of C# (VB.net, etc.) apps?
I used to wonder why they don’t just use Python instead, but I suppose it could be their enterprise customers asking for Java.
Yes, Java is in the enterprise and Python isn’t…for the most part. I love Python but I will guess that it has scalability problems as well as speed issues compared to statically-typed languages like C# and Java.
How slow/fast is it? Java on my machine takes several minutes to click.
I love Python but I will guess that it has scalability problems as well as speed issues compared to statically-typed languages like C# and Java.
I don’t know, Eve is fully python and it’s a rather large MMORPG. It seems to be scaling quite well, quick releases and updates and very little stability issues.
Your results might vary.
“I love Python but I will guess that it has scalability problems as well as speed issues compared to statically-typed languages like C# and Java. ”
what about zope plone and google search?
I’m guessing the point is not “can Python do the job instead of Java” but rather, the point is probably that Redhat enterprise customers are asking for Java solutions and RH wants to provide Java via GCJ/Classpath.
I’m glad they’re taking the high road and going with GCJ rather than trying to strike a deal with Sun to distribute their JVM.
After learning a good amount of C++ (and having spent some time with Java also), I’m getting into Python myself and like it a lot so far.
Slanger said:
” How slow/fast is it? Java on my machine takes several minutes to click.”
you have problem with java or the programmer who write the program is bad…
check the graphic, java is fast
http://www.laboiteaprog.com/tutoriel72-5
they are a release of quake 2 made in java…
java is compiled now
You don’t get the point of a free-as-in-speech Java?
This is far behind Suns Java, but it is also only a version 0.12. With this project and a decent free JVM, Java will one day be free-as-in-speech. This will help future Linux distros by allowing the free ones to distribute Java with all the other software. And it will help secure the future of Java, if the unlikely case Sun should be not more.
I don’t want Java to be free for idealogical reasons, I’d like it for practical reasons.
Does anyone know if Classpath is going to get the Sun certification as a true Java implementation? It might be possible now it at least has 1.0 compatability.
They didn’t show any sources of what they tested. Are the tests made using STL? That would explain why java could compare but thinking that java could beat efficient C++ is just nonsense.
One thing I find interresting is that with C/C++ dynamic libraries; an additional loaded program will only load the computer with the variables as it shares the program code with the other loaded programs. I’m not a java programmer but I was thinking, what about making a vm that puts the common libraries in (like the shared lib case) shared memory? Then an additional loaded java program would be extremely small and would finally make java a valid option. Or is this already done in any vm?
I think Apple’s implemented this with their JVM:
http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/java/
Apple developed an innovative new technology that allows Java code to be shared across multiple applications. This reduces the amount of memory that Java applications normally use. And it fits right into Sun’s Hot Spot VM, allowing Mac OS X to remain compatible with standard Java. In addition, Apple has given this implementation to Sun so the company can deploy it on other platforms. It’s just one example of how Apple supports standards and shares ideas to benefit all.