Re: GCJ with OpenJDK Java API instead of GNU Classpath

[Sal <svferro at gmail dot com>]

Andrew Haley wrote:

> It's all GPL + exception, so there are no licence difficulties.
>
> This would be an excellent thing to do, but it would be difficult.  In
> particular, class loading and class initialization are done in very
> different ways, and this would all need to be rewritten.
>
> I'd love someone to do this, but I don't want them to be under any illusion
> about how difficult it might be.
>
> Andrew.

So it should be challenging then, great :)

Thanks for all the feedback, I'm glad to hear there are others who seem 
to like the idea as well.  I wasn't sure if this hadn't been started yet 
due to some legal issues, or otherwise.  Sounds like its just something 
that needs a little elbow grease.

I started some preliminary work - just to get a feel for what might be 
entailed.  What I was thinking as a general plan of attack:

	1) - Obtain/extract a copy of the Java sources from a standard/official 
Sun release. Just to start working from a clean slate since it is an 
effort towards maximum compatibility. I've noticed that not all classes 
are actually from a simple source-tree extract, some are  generated by 
the build process (so I'm still trying to get through this...)

	2) - Isolate a subset of the sources to get gcj-openjdk port started. 
possibly: java.lang.* (and all dependancies) at first, then the other 
fundamental things; java.io.*, java.util.* etc. Although open for 
suggestions here of course.

	3) - Compile the pieces from 2) with GCJ, add in more packages as 
things build.

	4) - Somehow, maintain releases for it all as things progress, so 
people can grab current work and collaborate.  I can do so much as to 
zip/upload snapshots when stuff starts working... but maybe others have 
much better ideas or resources here?  I've got a feeling it won't be an 
overnight process, so it would be a big help to allow for as many hands 
on deck as possible.

--

I'm currently trying to make it all the way through the openjdk build 
process, to get at the .java sources, and isolate the JNI parts needed 
for a working library.  Possibly if anyone has already done this let me 
know - as it doesn't seem other parts are very critical - (hotspot, 
etc.) to get running, since we're just replacing Classpath initially.

Looking forward to any ideas/comments!

Thanks much,

- Sal