EXIF tag handling in Java

[Lew]

I did: for some operations you need to use a filter which is based
java.awt.image.ImageFilter. This gets passed properties via the
setProperties(Hashtable<?,?>) method.

You are awesome. Seriously.

That is a deep dependency and I sure am grateful to you for digging that one out. 'java.awt.image' is legacy 1.0 code.

I wonder if the Powers That Be would consider adding a 'Map<?, ?>' overloadto that call. Probably not worth the effort.

On a related note, 'java.util.Properties' extends 'Hashtable<Object,Object>', but if you use that upcast you lose default properties. (That 'Properties' is defined in terms of 'Object' but can only use 'String' is one of its interesting aspects.) (They did add 'public Set<String> stringPropertyNames()' in Java 6.)

On a tangential note, all this is exemplary of why Java programmers tend not to be acolytes of the language.

 

[Gene Wirchenko]

[snip]

On a tangential note, all this is exemplary of why Java programmers tend not to be acolytes of the language.

Lew, would you please unpack that?

Sincerely,

Gene Wirchenko

 

[Lew]

Lew wrote:
[snip]

On a tangential note, all this is exemplary of why
Java programmers tend not to be acolytes of the language.

Lew, would you please unpack that?

I am a big fan of the Java programming language. I am also a big fan of skeptical appreciation.

I've used a variety of programming languages, some rather outré. Sure, many of those languages have great utility and are widely adopted, and with good, valid reason. Some arguably should be widely adopted but aren't, yet.

But some computer languages engender a culture of worship and others of workaday acceptance. When a language's apologists cross too far into claiming The One True Way I get very suspicious.

Java's adherents are among its harshest critics. Everyone's got an opinion and most of them are right. You can't usually actually change the language,but sometimes enough mass gets behind an idea to affect the Powers That Be.. Meanwhile the curmudgeons continue to work the language adroitly, dodgingthe very ugliness with safe idioms and making good software happen on the strengths.

I am a fan of such cynical support because it bodes keeping the Emperor clothed. As the adviser told the Prince when bearing distasteful advice, "Whenthou art King, wouldst rather the bitter truth and always trust in those who counsel, or sweet lies and always wonder whose is the wisdom?"

 

[Gene Wirchenko]

Lew wrote:
[snip]

On a tangential note, all this is exemplary of why
Java programmers tend not to be acolytes of the language.

Lew, would you please unpack that?

I am a big fan of the Java programming language. I am also a big

fan of skeptical appreciation.

I am cautious, too.

I've used a variety of programming languages, some rather outré.

Sure, many of those languages have great utility and are widely
adopted, and with good, valid reason. Some arguably should be widely
adopted but aren't, yet.

But some computer languages engender a culture of worship and others

of workaday acceptance. When a language's apologists cross too far
into claiming The One True Way I get very suspicious.

I also watch for attacks on others. A non-language example of
this Apple. Part of their marketing is attacking others. It might
help with the faithful, but it turns others off.

Java's adherents are among its harshest critics. Everyone's got an

opinion and most of them are right. You can't usually actually change
the language, but sometimes enough mass gets behind an idea to affect
the Powers That Be. Meanwhile the curmudgeons continue to work the
language adroitly, dodging the very ugliness with safe idioms and
making good software happen on the strengths.

I was willing to do so, too, but I found that the awkwardnesses
of the language made it a poor fit for me. Every language has its bad
points. Sometimes, there are just too many. This is a YMMV issue.

I am a fan of such cynical support because it bodes keeping the

Emperor clothed. As the adviser told the Prince when bearing
distasteful advice, "When thou art King, wouldst rather the bitter
truth and always trust in those who counsel, or sweet lies and always
wonder whose is the wisdom?"

Quite. I did a quick search, but I did not find anything.

Sincerely,

Gene Wirchenko