Re: need to focus on java performance?

[Tom Tromey <tromey at redhat dot com>]

>>>>> "Heitzso" == Heitzso  <heitzso@growthmodels.com> writes:

Heitzso> Would it make sense to invent a Java variation (or call it
Heitzso> something new) that fit like a glove with compiler technology
Heitzso> to generate super clean and fast code but that also provided
Heitzso> the constructs that we associate with a modern computer
Heitzso> language?  Is that even possible?

It depends on what you think the important parts of Java's design are.
E.g., it is probably pretty hard to preserve the binary compatibility
feature and generate top-notch code.  OTOH, other things are pretty
simple -- arguably our C++ ABI is already a slight redesign of the
language.

FWIW this isn't that interesting of a goal for me.  I think
compatibility is very important.  For one thing it is the way to
leverage all the existing free java code out there.  The idea is, we
have a free system from bottom to top, except for this one proprietary
slice in the middle.  And our goal, as I see it, is to make this slice
free as well.

Tom