Re: [gentoo-java] gcj, maven, the GPL and ebuild

[Joshua Nichols <nichoj@gentoo.org>]

You brought up quite a tirade of topics... I'd recommend splitting them
up so we can at least have some focus.
Thufir wrote:
> I've been sifting through the archives on these topics and would like
> a status report on java.  stat ;)
>
> The best thing would be for gcj to catch-up to Java 5, but that won't
> be for a while.  There are several threads about ebuilds
> auto-magically fetching a Sun JRE or JDK, displaying a license and
> then installing.  That also would be nice in a more perfect world, but
> fetching a binary via the web browser every now and then isn't the
> greatest inconvenience in the world.
>
a) I'm pretty sure your sources are out of date. Sun's JRE and JDK as of
1.5.0.06 are freely distributable, as in, they are on our mirrors.
b) The method you describe isn't how it was done. You would be prompted
to go a web site. You would then have to visit the site, and click
through the license
> However, even were the Sun JDK easily installed as described above,
> it'd still be masked, as I understand, due to some source files in
> Gentoo not working with Java 5 due to problems with reserved words.
Ok, you are really behind the ball here :)

http://planet.gentoo.org/developers/nichoj/2006/05/22/of_java_1_5_and_gentoo
http://planet.gentoo.org/developers/nichoj/2006/06/26/the_new_java_hotness
http://planet.gentoo.org/developers/nichoj/2006/06/29/update_the_new_java_hotness
http://planet.gentoo.org/developers/nichoj/2006/07/01/updated_java_system_and_java_1_5_unmaske
>
> Then there's the philosophical problem with distributing compiled
> classes instead of building a java app from source.
>
https://overlays.gentoo.org/proj/java/wiki/Why_build_from_source
> Finally, I was amazed to read that maven is, apparently,
> windows-centric. Very disappointing.
>
Where was it ever said on this list that it was windows centric? I think
this is actualy the first time I remember windows even being brought up
on this list. The problem, as has been pointed out in subthread, is that
it is incredibly difficult to package sanely.
> The bottom line appears to be that java for Linux sucked, got better,
> but still sucks and will continue to suck for the foreseeable future. 
> Yes?
>
Erm, no? Java on Gentoo is quite good, and will only get better in the
foreseeable future.

-- 
Joshua Nichols
Gentoo/Java Project Lead
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