IBM releases JDK 1.16 alpha for Linux

Jeff N Roberts from IBM wrote in to announce that IBM is releasing a JDK for Linux which incorporates the same IBM Just-In-Time technology found in IBM's JVMs for OS/2 and Windows. Dave Whitinger has HTMLized the FAQ we were sent. (If the IBM link does not work, it should be active shortly)

Comments

Linux apps in Java ...

[Rick_T]

| Just another reason why developing Linux apps in
| Java is a good idea.

Not because of this particular software package. From what I can tell from the site, it's Intel only. Intel-only Linux application software is a *bad* thing.

Nice, but is it what we need? I'd like 1.2

[gavinhall]

Posted by !ErrorBookmarkNotDefined:

I was glad to see yet another 1.1.x port to Linux. However, I wonder how useful this port can be. Consider that it lacks byte coder verification of the class files found in the CLASSPATH. (Note: I assume IBM of all companies followed the white paper on this and didn't change the primordial class loader.)

Consider that it lacks the fine-grained policy provided by JDK 1.2. Consider that the classloaders are limited to URL and sandbox models. Consider that it lacks good JFC support. (Yes, yes, I realize you can just path the swingall.jar libs, but the speed is terrible, even if the bug pathes from Sun precede those of JDK 1.2.2; other people might disagree, but I don't find non-optimized Swing a viable alternative. Plus, there's no Java accessibility, glasgow, etc.)

This is not to fault IBM; they've done wonderful work with Java, and appear to be serious about linux as well. Instead, these are just limitations in the 1.1.x VM--among many others.

So, while I'm glad to hear of IBM's efforts, I'm dubious about the need for another JDK 1.1.x port. Particularly one with such a low version number. There are a number of critical bugs in JDK 1.1.6 (e.g., the "contains()" and "inside()" snafu fixed only in 1.2 and 1.1.8), that are likely repeated in this port. (Perhaps I'm wrong; but then why not version the package up to 1.1.8?)

Let's look at the field of 1.1 VM so far, according at least to FSF's tally:

• BISS AWT - A Java framework for building graphical applications.
• Jlint - Java program checker
• Kaffe - A virtual machine to run Java bytecodes. For many architectures, "just-in-time" native code generation is supported.
• Kiev - A compiler that extends and unites the Java and Prolog languages.
  
• Classpath - Essential libraries for supporting the Java language.
• SableCC - An object-oriented framework that generates compilers (and interpreters) in the Java language.

All of these distros are capable 1.1.x compliant VMs. I was glad to see them when they arrived. But they all lack many of the key improvements in the 1.2 VM:

1. automatic non-classpath byte code verification.
2. RMI that doesn't hog port 1099, and can be tweaked with a security policy
3. speaking of security, the boolean sandbox model in 1.1.x is either too restrictive or too liberal for e-ware. JDK 1.2's fine-grained policies are needed to do anything non-trivial in Linux java
4. I could list this stuff all day

It strikes me that without javax support for crypto, security, non-port-specific RMI, and other "enterprise enabling" packages, the 1.1.x ports are not that helpful. Of course, someone wanting to make a nice GUI or web client can use the IBM port. (For that matter, why not use blackdown's more mature port?)

So, while we should welcome this distro, I think the Linux Java community needs to press for a good 1.2 VM. (I.e., our debug and testing cycles should be applied to, say jdk1.2pre2 from blackdown, so that thread safety, RMI, drag and drop and other "e-features" start working right.) It's great the IBM has a 1.1.x distro, but it comes kinda late.

I'm sure IBM could amaze us all with a good JDK 1.2 linux port. It would be nice to see the speed that the 2.2 kernel has over Windows fully exploited in a good port.

[Note: Again, I'm not looking a gift horse in the mouth; it's just that we need something stronger than yet another horse.]

-----------------------------
Computers are useless. They can only give answers.

Good news for the Linux community

[Chainsaw]

If you find current implementations of Java somewhat sluggish, you won't believe the speed of this baby. On my P200/64MB running OS/2 Warp 4, this thing just blows everything away. One of my friends found the speed to be similar (or better) compared to Microsofts JVM for NT on a P2-350/128. Add a 100% pure implementation to that, and you have a killer. This JVM is what made me change my mind about coding for Java, and it will probably affect you too.

Oh yeah, this thing is fast.

Re:Its funny that...

[Blue Lang]

Do what I did.. (On the South AIX desk) Find every single unused PC in sight and install linux on it. People will get used to it, fast. Then they will covet it. It grows.

--
blue

Re:redistribution licence is disappointing

[thomasd]

I'm pretty sure IBM do understand what OpenSource is about. However, this package can never be opensource, since it's based heavily on Sun's code, for which IBM had to sign a licence.

As for mirroring, I think you'll find that the main issue is that IBM wants to know how many people are interested, to help them gauge the size of the market. I can't see anything wrong with that -- I'd be interested to know myself.

I've just downloaded my copy now, and IBM seem to have enough bandwidth to keep up with demand :).