[Isolate-interest] JSR 121 status?

[Curt Cox]

Pete,

> But assuming this publication had succeeded before the "Tiger crunch" that
> same crunch would have inhibited the proper responsiveness to feedback
needed
> to make the publication of APIs worthwhile, boosting the frustration
level.
>
> One could argue that "hey, at least something would have been out there
> in the meantime!" and this is true. But the nature of an isolate
implementation
> is such that by no stretch could folks have "downloaded the API" to use
the
> way they would download an API for computing planetary orbits. A custom
> launcher (with a non-java name of some sort) would have been required
along
> with a customized class library layered on some very narrow rev range of
> other components from standard binary distributions (i.e. similar to
JSR-014).
> So getting something usable in a limited context did not imply "practical
> for a production environment." (I know you and many others may know this
> already, forgive me for loading all this explanation on)

Perhaps.  Surely testing determines what is practical for a production
environment.
Availability is the only requirement for testing.

Also consider that if/when isolates are a part of the JRE, the demand for
isolates in prior JREs will increase.  I don't expect Sun to provide
isolates
under prior JREs, but I would be surprised if no one did.  There is still a
substantial population using 1.3.x for various reasons.  Some of that
population
will want to use a JSR-121 subset before they can migrate to whatever JRE it
comes bundled with.

Please consider releasing a draft of the APIs and TCK.
Feel free to put all sorts of "subject to change" warnings on it.
It doesn't have to be an "official" release.  You could just post a URL to
this
list.  That way, it is possible that isolates that are API compatible with
whatever form they will ultimately take will be available ASAP.

Of course you could post the APIs and TCK to complete perpetual silence.
Another possibility is that a Tiger compatible open source implementation
would be available before Tiger is out of beta.

Have you seen the things that these guys have done with 1.4.x?
http://www.jdistro.com/

Even if nothing else positive happened because of it, JSR-121 would get all
sorts of good karma from its openness.

> The notable exception is that we simply couldn't find a way to properly
use the
> Preferences API and keep that reconciled with the need for uniformity and
> Isolate being at the bottom of the package hierarchy. I sent an unhappy
note
> to Josh Bloch explaining that situation and he replied with regret and
> understooding.

Could you please repost that discussion here, so that we can understand the
issues?  Perhaps there is someone on the list that could propose an
overlooked option after the problem is completely exposed.

Thanks,
Curt