Preferred OS?

[jezek2]

@princec

Java is absolutely not just a language like any other! Java the language runs atop Java the platform, and the platform does a very good job indeed of abstracting away a lot of OS specific crap. It even abstracts away the binary compatibility for the most part which is very nice.

Most languages run on their own “platform” defined by it’s standard library API and language specifics. If it has VM or it’s compiled or whatever is just minor (implementation) detail. Any of better crossplatform libs abstract stuff away, crossplatform languages have such libraries as standard library. You’re too much into believing that Java is something extremely special. Sure the combo of all properties are unique, but that can be said about any language and it’s combo of properties.

There were, are and will be quite amount of languages working like Java’s JVM (platform). It’s nothing new or special.

[princec]

It seems to have fooled me.

Cas

[Roquen]

@jezek2: although I understand the position you’re taking…it’s kinda silly. There’s a significant logical difference between pre-compiled and dynamically compiled environments. It’s similar the asm folks saying that everything is just sugar for asm or LISP folk saying all languages are just broken versions of LISP.

[jezek2]

@Roquen

@jezek2: although I understand the position you’re taking…it’s kinda silly. There’s a significant logical difference between pre-compiled and dynamically compiled environments. It’s similar the asm folks saying that everything is just sugar for asm or LISP folk saying all languages are just broken versions of LISP.

Sure. But this was from outside view (from OS / user view) and from there it’s just like any other language. We’re talking about making Linux (or whatever else) ports written in some language. princec asserted it’s harder with Java to make native app. I say that’s it’s just like with any other language, and what matters is to follow the practice for given platform. This means you can use cross platform libs for like 95% of code, but the last 5% must be platform specific. There is more than enough ways how to achieve that in Java. This is same for Java or say C++ using some crossplatform library.

[princec]

Er, I think that’s the exact opposite to what I was asserting. It’s a piece of piss to make a native looking app with Java! It’d be nice if the JDK actually came with tools to do it but as it is they’re not hard to find or do yourself. It’s a very very small proportion of the effort that goes into deployment.

Cas

[jezek2]

@princec

Er, I think that’s the exact opposite to what I was asserting. It’s a piece of piss to make a native looking app with Java!

Oh, thanks for the clarification, didn’t know this phrase.

[princec]

Ah the colourful phrases of English (And even more colourful in the British Isles)

Cas

[Roquen]

Well then: And Bob’s your uncle.

[princec]

The funny thing is, Bob is my uncle.

Cas

[Oskuro]

@princec

It seems to have fooled me.

Cas

Nah, it’s a common misconception. The nifty thing about Java is that Sun Oracle handles all the OS specific implementation so developers can concentrate on the program core… But there’s nothing stopping anyone from whipping out some JNI (native interface) and doing it themselves.

It’s just a bit of convenience, like using pre-baked libraries or development environments. And it’s not something specific to the language. If the JDK stopped development and wasn’t kept up to date, the language would eventually fail to work as OSs progressed, and it would need native development.

My 2 cents regarding OS preference, I like Ubuntu. I multiboot to both Ubuntu and Windows, and I’m looking into emulating Android (because I like multiplatform development), though.

No real reasoning, as Eclipse and Code::Blocks work fine under both Ubuntu and Windows, just… Personal taste (Ok, maybe a reasoning is that most of the tools I use - GIMP, InkScape, Blender, … - are usually geared towards Linux).