Question about Java

[GnuVince]

I'm thinking of learning Java. I would like to know if Java 1.3 is really different (in terms of syntax, modules, general writing, not performances) from 1.4, and is 1.4 officially out?

Does 1.4 have the possibility to compile to native-code? I think I remember Dru saying so in a thread on LNO (which turned into a flame war against jemfinch), but I'm not sure.

Vince

[Dru Lee Parsec]

I would like to know if Java 1.3 is really different (in terms of syntax, modules, general writing, not performances) from 1.4,


Syntax and so on is the same. There are quite a few API additions in 1.4 however.


and is 1.4 officially out?


Yes, http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4/download.html


Does 1.4 have the possibility to compile to native-code?


There are 3rd party products that can compile Java source to native code. That, of course, breaks one of the reasons to use Java (Write once, run anywhere). 1.4 is significantly faster than the old 1.1.x versions so you may want to try using the JVM before you decide that native code is the solution.

I think I remember Dru saying so in a thread on LNO (which turned into a flame war against jemfinch), but I'm not sure.


That was a flame war FROM Jemfinch. Any flames he encountered were the result of backdraft. But let's leave that battle at LNO and not bring it here.

[GnuVince]

Dru: Do you know if there are debs of Sun's Java? I got Blackdown's, but I think I would prefer Sun's version

[Dru Lee Parsec]

Do you know if there are debs of Sun's Java?

Deb's? I'm Not sure what you mean??

[GnuVince]

Debian Packages.

[kmj]

probably you'll just have to get the tar file w/ shell script, GnuVince.

Have fun learning java, I think it's pretty cool. :)

[Strike]

No 1.4 debs that I know of. And none from Sun. And since it's not Free, it's not something people jump on packaging (not to take away from Java).