Re: Done with Gcj? Send us a link or a story!

[Jeff Sturm <jeff dot sturm at appnet dot com>]

Mo DeJong wrote:
> I would really like to get gcj working for my stuff so I can
> play around with embedded Linux + Java on a MBX PPC motherboard.
> The JVMs from Sun are never going to work in that sort
> of environment.

Yeah, I'm surprised how many Java developers haven't seriously tried the
open source VMs.  For example, at the Java/Linux BOF at JavaOne, most of
the discussion was around commercial ports by Blackdown, IBM and Sun.

Gcj is already being used on targets where Sun's VM will never run.  I
have been periodically evaluating gcj myself on Alpha/Linux, where there
is no good alternative (no JIT, anyway).

> > Any comments?
> 
> Just one, I feel your pain. I have not even been able to get
> my Java project to compile with gcj! I am not trying to
> rip on anyone, I am just saying that things always seem
> to be broken. I have decided that my time would be better
> spent writing tests that can be used to test gcj
> compliance with the JLS. At large set of JLS tests
> will really help to point out compiler problems and
> make sure things stay fixed once they get fixed.

I've been encouraged by recent snapshots.  The compiler and runtime are
very good, on the right day :\

Jacl builds/runs with gcj, now that we have java.beans and working
reflection.  But I admit some of my projects are on hold until gcj
stabilizes a bit.

-- 
Jeff Sturm
jeff.sturm@appnet.com