Talk:Java programming language

Article Checklist for "Java programming language"

Workgroup category or categories	Computers Workgroup [Editors asked to check categories]
Article status	Stub: no more than a few sentences
Underlinked article?	Yes
Basic cleanup done?	Yes
Checklist last edited by	--Eric M Gearhart 16:19, 7 April 2007 (CDT)

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Concerns about Sun's core goals

I have some concerns about how Sun's design goals are worded. I think this is partially because the goals (as listed on Citizendium) don't completely match up with the goals (as listed in the referenced white paper), and partially because the white paper is a marketing document--barely technical at all.

Have performance in mind. The language would be simple and compact, so that it could be mastered relatively easily

I would have expected "performance" to mean runtime performance. Here is seems to mean easy to learn. The referenced white paper makes an argument for performance, and bases it on the garbage collector.

Be reliable (garbage collection would be built-in, rather than left up to the programmer as in C++)

Garbage collection would tend to make programs written in Java more reliable, but not necessarily the language itself. However, this might serve to contribute to a popular opinion of Java programs being reliable. BTW, garbage collection isn't "left up to the programmer as in C++", but rather a C++ programmer is responsible for memory management. Garbage collection is simply a memory management strategy used by Java, and other languages.

Have security built in (pointers were not to be a part of the language, due to buffer overflow security concerns)

Having security built in is a tough argument. There have been many java programs with severe security problems. In terms of buffer overflow concerns, dynamic data structures may do more than eliminating pointers would. Also, the language relies heavily on implicit pointers: every variable other than an integer, float, byte, and a few more atomic types is actually a pointer to a heap allocated object.

I don't have time right now, but I may come back and correct this tomorrow if no one else has. --Nick Johnson 12:51, 16 April 2007 (CDT)

Nick, I'm more of an "operating system / open source / computer company startup" historian-type guy. I read books about computer startups for the fun of it. I'll start hitting the Apple Inc. and Macintosh articles hard when I get to the Apple book I have, as soon as I finish the book/articles on Commodore (see MOS Technology for the result of me getting through the first part of the Commodore book). You're much more experienced in the compilers and programming language design area... please feel free to fix the article. I started the Java article simply because there was a "really big hole" there. Hack away at the "round peg I put in the square hole" so to speak til it fits :P Eric M Gearhart

Nick, I completely agree that Java is not necessary safe from a determined hacker. I might argue, though, that it is considerably safer from programmer stupidity of the sort beginning programmers tend to exhibit. You won't normally, from ignorance, be likely to cause a segment fault or crash the runtime.Pat Palmer 08:54, 20 April 2007 (CDT)

May I try an overhaul here?

Do any of you object if I try to overhaul and revise this article? I would like to archive what's here so we can recover any of the text if we need, then begin again from the top. I'd keep the "editions" section and expand it. Let me know if anyone would rather do this themselves. Java is an area I feel fairly comfortable in at the moment.Pat Palmer 08:57, 20 April 2007 (CDT)

This article is so small I do not see how there could be objections. Everything will remain in the history. An alternative is to userfy a draft then post a link to it. Stephen Ewen 19:51, 20 April 2007 (CDT)

Yes Pat please do... hack away. I'm not comfortable enough with the little bit of knowledge I have on Java to make any significant edits to it, however we need a good Java article on CZ Eric M Gearhart

Why no table of contents showing up on this page?

I don't really understand why we're not getting a table of contents on this page. I've seen this before. Anyone know why the headers aren't being turned into a TOC? Is this a technical problem to report, or a coding error of mine/ours?Pat Palmer 08:59, 20 April 2007 (CDT)

Pat, when there are too few sections the TOC doesn't show up. You can force it on, at a specific place in the article, with __TOC__. Conversely, you can force the TOC off with __NOTOC__ Eric M Gearhart

Eric, thank you! I think I need to read a wiki manual!Pat Palmer 07:43, 22 April 2007 (CDT)

Hey everything I know is just "wondering out loud" type stuff too :) You guys/gals can write the content on this one, and if I know any wiki tricks to help out I'll help out Eric M Gearhart

missing things

I miss a few things in this article so far. What was the reason (historically) SUN wanted a platform independent platform. Why omit pointers when you are able to do other system-threatening calls. A buffer overrun isnt the only way to get access to a system. Why when using a sandbox still that need of omitting pointers - was the sandbox insecure? Network language? yes sure nice to read it but HOW contrary to C or C++ or visual C. What was the history of JAVA, why dont I see the JAVA cup as logo. Why took it about some 10 years to finally get a degree of adoptation? These things should be in the article else it is nothing more than a stub. And many other things as well, but then hey you are free to add. cheers, Robert Tito |  Talk  14:14, 23 April 2007 (CDT)

Good feedback, Robert! I have quite a bit of info on this and should be able to flesh this out very soon.Pat Palmer 14:26, 23 April 2007 (CDT)

maybe it is fun to have a java logo gallery, much like Tux. There were many forms of the java cup and other logo's Robert Tito |  Talk  14:31, 23 April 2007 (CDT)

starting my major revision

It's going to look silly for awhile; I'm attempting a major revision of this now.Pat Palmer 21:41, 23 April 2007 (CDT)

P S - If the opening seems similar to the one in Wikipedia, it's because I revised the one over there awhile back, and I'm using it for a starting point here.Pat Palmer 21:48, 23 April 2007 (CDT)

It's nowhere near ready, and I've got to "go away" for a few days, but I hope to come back soon and hack on this some more.Pat Palmer 22:32, 23 April 2007 (CDT)

It does look a lot better than my measly stub though :) Eric M Gearhart

There's a Java history page over at java.com... mostly it looks like a book plug, however there's a timeline of events in Java's history... that might help on this article Eric M Gearhart