Hi Jan-Hendrick,
Java may well be the appropriate implementation language for some
features. Whoever adds a new feature gets to choose an implementation
language. If you want the same feature but dislike the language used you
may try to port/reimplement in another language.
> Like C++ as the most of OpenOffice.org is implemented?
Whats wrong with it?
Some people may want to contribute, but don't have C++ experience. In
other cases you may want to leverage libraries that are readily
available for Java, but not (or not on all platforms) for for C++.
We all know that different programming languages are there for are
reason and people should be able to choose the best tool for a task. Of
course this means that we need many more UNO language bindings so you
can choose other languages as well.
I'm sure the accessibility people did not choose Java without good
reason. I think they should summarize their original discusssion and the
reasons why they use Java. (Maybe someone already did, I'm somewhat
behind with these lists)
This is a very good idea? I will ask about it, but I do not know, who to
ask, anyone?
IIRC something was posted in this thread, that gave a little
explanation. If I understood it correctly we primarily hava a UNO
accessibility API (realized in C++). But there don't exist accessibilty
tools which support this brand-new API. But there exist Java-based tools
and bridges that support the Java accessibility API on some platforms.
Thus to enable tool support quickly, we provide a bridge from our API to
the Java one. Disclaimer: I'm not involved in this, so those who are
should correct me where I'm wrong.
But OTOH the core application must run without Java (afaik it does) and
it should build without Java (we are getting closer to that).
Ok .. I'm not in doubt with it. But the big problem is, if we drop Java
at once without any replacement, we will break some features .... maybe
... but I'm not sure, because, I do not really know, what in fact in
OpenOffice.org based on Java and needs an installed jdk.
See below. Afaict only those features that cannot possibly work without
Java would break: The Java UNO binding and support for embedding Java
applets. (And nothing needs a JDK at runtime - a JRE would be enough).
And then there appear to be the first add-on components that are done in
Java (e.g. the XMerge filter framework - see xml.openoffice.org/xmerge).
And each part that uses Java should try to keep requirements low and
document them to help ports decide wether they can or cannot support
that feature.
[...]
We try to cater for people who don't or won't use Java - be it for
technical or for even political reasons.
I think both.
Java is not fully integrated in debian. There are some debian packages,
but they are not part of debian, not in nonfree either, because, it was
to nonfree, to get it into debian-nonfree section. But the
nonfree-section is not Debian as well. These are political reasons.
We are aware of the political issues. But we try to make OOo without
Java possible regardless of our stance on this, if only to cater for the
technical reasons (i.e. platforms that don't have an on-par Java
implementation).
On the other side, some people do not use Java, because, they do not
want to use it or their machine has not enough power to run Java
happily. Since, some do not need Java for OpenOffice.org or see the
dependency of OpenOffice.org to Java, they won't install it.
Well, you can disable it in the install. And I think a debian
distribution could even preselect that option.
OTOH completely banning Java for political reasons does not seem right
either, particularly on a project heavily funded by Sun.
And of course there are many users that want the Java support and that
would not understand the political problems.
I have to be honest, I don't know, what in OpenOffice.org needs Java.
Afaik nothing does at runtime, except of course interfacing to Java code
in UNO and support for Java applets.
Ok.... I went to the Sun Microsystem booth on Linuxday last weekend in
Karlsruhe (Germany) and one there told me, that Java is only needed by
the OpenOffice.org help system?
But I am in doubt with that would be fully the case.
This used to be the case. But afaik the help system is now all C++ (even
for the needed XSLT processing). Why don't you just try ? You can
continue the installation without selecting any Java environment. Even
on a machine that is completely without Java. But don't complain, if it
cannot display Java applets then ... ;-)
Regards, Jörg
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<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< using std::disclaimer; >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Jörg Barfurth [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Software Engineer (Star|Open)Office Configuration
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