The Java 2 Collections framework, although quite extensive and very useful, hardly supports the usage of algorithms.
Coming from a Smalltalk environment, where you get a lot more collection functionality out-of-the-box (e.g.: select, reject, do, detect, includes, contains, etc.), I was looking for something similar in Java. I learned about a free library called JGL (the Java Generic Library), originally from ObjectSpace, later on from Recursion Software, which provides very powerful and extensive collections and algorithms that work with these collections. It seems to be stable software (latest release was 3.1, I believe), which was already around before the Java 2 release. However, most information I found about it is quite old (pre 2000). The Recursion Software web site does not seem to function anymore (I get "10061 - Connection refused" errors), although there are still pages that can be accessed using Google's cache (so it is probably not for a very long time yet). QUESTIONS: * Does anybody know if the JGL product is still being worked on and/or supported, and where it can be downloaded? * Is there any initiative in the Java Community to extend the current Java 2 Collections framework with support for algorithms? * Are there perhaps other alternatives than the JGL? * A disadvantage of JGL is that developers need to learn yet another API. (The 2 APIs are not compatible, although JGL provides some adapter classes which can be used to make the bridge.) The Java 2 Collections API is probably known by a lot more developers, as it comes in the J2SE, and is also part of the objectives of the Programmers Exam. But does this outweigh the extra functionality that is provided with JGL? I would love to hear your opinion. References: JGL API: http://www.infosys.tuwien.ac.at/Services/Docu/Java/jgl/index.html Article in JavaWorld that compares JGL with Java 2 Collections: http://www.javaworld.com/javaworld/jw-01-1999/jw-01-jglvscoll.html Thanks for your feedback, Danny To change your membership options, refer to: http://www.sys-con.com/java/list.cfm
