JDK 8 is still supported by Oracle. Dropping it should happen when it makes sense, after support has ended. If you need to work on Java versions prior to 8, first, I’m sorry, you have my sympathy, second, download an older version of NetBeans that supports it - if you are living in the past go all-in. :-)
I still have to make Java 8 compatible output for some projects. If that means I have to use NB 16 or 15 instead of 17, so be it. I would absolutely not want NB to be held back by a need to support ancient tech. Microsoft does that with Windows and we are still living with the insanity of DOS drive letters and path limits because of it! From the sounds of it, nb-javac is a relic that shouldn’t be needed… cut it out. Tooling (Maven/Gradle) can support alternative compilers in some cases… maybe if those compilers are compatible with the javac API they can integrate with NB for better editor feedback or whatever. If someone wants to support nb-javac as an optional plugin fine, but overall the platform needs to move forward, not hold on to the past. Apache shouldn’t directly concern itself with nb-javac anymore. Changes is inevitable, resistance is futile, etc… I’m much more interested in top-notch Java 20+ support. I think it is reasonable to say that NB supports the oldest LTS JDK and no earlier. Just my opinion, Scott > On Oct 26, 2022, at 6:57 PM, Geertjan Wielenga > <geertjan.wiele...@googlemail.com.INVALID> wrote: > > Just been looking into open source work done in the context of the > European Union and one of the key applications there requires JDK 8: > > https://github.com/l-e-x/leos > > I.e., we need to stop thinking that Java 8 is somehow dead or > ethically or otherwise problematic -- it's simply what a great deal of > applications use and any strategy we come up with needs to cater to > Java 8. > > Gj > > On Wed, Oct 26, 2022 at 10:57 PM Glenn Holmer > <ce...@protonmail.com.invalid> wrote: >> >> On 10/25/22 22:48, Laszlo Kishalmi wrote: >>> I'm confused as well. Still not clear, what are we about to solve here. >>> Use new lang spec with old runtimes? I do not have granny issues... >> >> Also confused. If this is all so people can still code for Java 8 in >> this day and age, I say drop support for JDK8 ("Nuke the site from >> orbit, it's the only way to be sure"). I may be out of touch, being >> retired for eight years now, but IMHO anyone still using Java 8 would be >> better off to stay in his parents' basement with his VAX-11 coding >> assembly language. It's getting as bad as the Python 2/3 thing was. >> >> And if it's so you can code using new features not available in the JDK >> you're using... use the newer JDK! I just don't understand any of this, >> but I do remember a time when NetBeans was the leader in out-of-box >> support for new language features. >> >>> The examples of Java 17 has no support for Java 6 target, makes this >>> discussion ridiculous. >> >> +1, what are we even talking about here? Java 6? seriously? >> >> -- >> Glenn Holmer (Linux registered user #16682) >> "After the vintage season came the aftermath -- and Cenbe." >> >> >> >> --------------------------------------------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe, e-mail: dev-unsubscr...@netbeans.apache.org >> For additional commands, e-mail: dev-h...@netbeans.apache.org >> >> For further information about the NetBeans mailing lists, visit: >> https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/NETBEANS/Mailing+lists >> >> >> > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > To unsubscribe, e-mail: dev-unsubscr...@netbeans.apache.org > For additional commands, e-mail: dev-h...@netbeans.apache.org > > For further information about the NetBeans mailing lists, visit: > https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/NETBEANS/Mailing+lists > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: dev-unsubscr...@netbeans.apache.org For additional commands, e-mail: dev-h...@netbeans.apache.org For further information about the NetBeans mailing lists, visit: https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/NETBEANS/Mailing+lists
