On 11:48 Tue 04 Jan , Andrew Haley wrote: > On 01/03/2011 03:09 AM, Lussier, Denis wrote: > > I too like the idea that the version of OpenJDK that comes pre-built with > > your Linux distro is pre-installed and just works. But... I wonder how/if > > the Linux Distro's will configure simultaneously with JDK6& JDK7 when they > > are both mainstream. > > Hopefully, the usual Java backwards compatibility will be maintained, > so mostly it won't matter. However, the packages may be installed > side-by-side, with a symlink for the global default. Like this example > from Fedora 13: > > /usr/bin/java --> > /etc/alternatives/java --> > /usr/lib/jvm/java-1.6.0-openjdk-1.6.0.0.x86_64/jre/bin/java > > I can't yet comment on whether distros will choose to allow multiple > JDKs, though: just that there is no strong technical reason that > forbids it. > > Andrew.
IME, most distributions already have at least two JDKs: gcj and IcedTea6/OpenJDK6. Adding IcedTea7/OpenJDK7 to the pile wouldn't be any different, just more work to support. I foresee both being provided for a while until 7 really takes off. I'd also like to see 7 start being made available as distro packages once it branches away and mainstream development moves to 8. There's an opportunity there for a lot more testing than was seen through the previous proprietary release preparation process. -- Andrew :) Free Java Software Engineer Red Hat, Inc. (http://www.redhat.com) Support Free Java! Contribute to GNU Classpath and IcedTea http://www.gnu.org/software/classpath http://icedtea.classpath.org PGP Key: 94EFD9D8 (http://subkeys.pgp.net) Fingerprint = F8EF F1EA 401E 2E60 15FA 7927 142C 2591 94EF D9D8
