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Subject:
From:
Peter Hermann <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Peter Hermann <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 23 Oct 2001 18:30:09 +0200
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FYI:

http://www.objectwatch.com/issue_33.htm

 IS JAVA LANGUAGE NEUTRAL?

 excerpts:

AppletMagic, a compiler of Ada 95. I was unable to get any information on this product.

JGNAT, another compiler of ADA 95 from Ada Core Technologies.
I spoke to Nancy Cruz at Ada Core Technologies
who told me this work was funded by the Defense Department.
She promised me a list of customers using this
product within 15 minutes, but, as of press time (five days later)
has not followed through.


and some more.....


At best, the Java platform supports not true language neutrality but rather language replacement. There is a big difference
between language neutrality and language replacement.

With a language neutral platform, one can choose between any number of languages, mixing and matching based on the
needs of a given project. This is one of the defining strengths of the Microsoft .NET platform.

With language replacement, you can, indeed, choose which language you will use, but once you make that choice, you can't
change. Yes, you can use an Ada compiler that generates JBC, but future work will be limited not only to Ada, but to that
particular compiler's notion of how the JBC will be generated from Ada. This is much more limiting than, say, being able to
program only in Java. At least then you are using a popular language, and one with a number of compilers from which to
choose.

I believe that Simon Phipps and other Sun luminaries have greatly exaggerated the degree of language neutrality
supported by the Java platform. The evidence indicates that true language neutrality in the Java platform is nonexistent, and
even language replacement is sparse, if it exists at all.

In fact, it appears that Sun as a company is much less interested in language neutrality than is Simon Phipps. Sun's most
recent JavaOne conference, for example, had almost 300 sessions. I could not find one that discussed the use of non-Java
languages to program to the Java platform.

I assume that Phipps is well aware of the true relationship between the Java platform and the Java language. Even a
rudimentary examination of the links supplied by the Tolksdorf web site would show that few, if any, of these products are
commercially viable, even fewer are in common use, and probably none at all support true mix and match language
interoperability




--
Peter Hermann Tel+49-711-685-3611 Fax3758 [log in to unmask]
Pfaffenwaldring 27 Raum 114, D-70569 Stuttgart Uni Computeranwendungen
http://www.csv.ica.uni-stuttgart.de/homes/ph/
Team Ada: "C'mon people let the world begin" (Paul McCartney)

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