Java 1.4.2 Vs 1.5 Vs 1.6

[James Kimble]

I'm sure this question has been posted but I've not found any
definitive answer.

I maintain a product line that consists of a dedicated Linux system
running Java to provide a GUI interface as a control system for
underlying hardware. I've been working to move to jdk 1.5 (not hard
but I'm busy) and now this new DST thing which is not covered by the
version I've been porting to (1.5.0-b64) makes me want to rething
about going to the latest 1.6. It seems every version change had
problems in the beginning and I didn't even try 1.6 because of that.
Now I'm thinking about it again.

Can anyone give me a level of comfort about just going to the latest
jdk and jre? Is there an advantage to going to the latest 1.6 versus
the last 1.5? The liability of 1.6 is, of course, it's not as tested
as the previous releases but, as java has matured, I think that some
of that may be pretty minimal. I don't have enough data to judge.

Can I get opinions? Any input is greatly appreciated.

 

[Lew]

I'm sure this question has been posted but I've not found any
definitive answer.

I maintain a product line that consists of a dedicated Linux system
running Java to provide a GUI interface as a control system for
underlying hardware. I've been working to move to jdk 1.5 (not hard
but I'm busy) and now this new DST thing which is not covered by the
version I've been porting to (1.5.0-b64) makes me want to rething
about going to the latest 1.6.

Daylight Saving Time is handled just fine by J6. No one has ever claimed
otherwise. What gave you the impression that it's not?

Older versions of J5 and up through 1.4 require a simple downloaded fix from
Sun to handle DST. Since the current version of J5 is something like 1.5.0_11
it looks like your version actually predates the DST fix so, ironically, you
are at greater risk for not having upgraded to 6.

Bear in mind that J1.4 is the old, creaky, hoary, nearly obsolescent version.
J6 is the current release. J5 has been out about two and a half years, now.

It seems every version change had problems in the beginning and I didn't even try 1.6 because of that.
Now I'm thinking about it again.

There have been bugs reported in 6, some of which carried over from 5, but for
the most part it works as advertised. Have you been checking Sun's bug list to
see if the issues affect your situation?

It's hardly the "beginning" for J5 any more.

Can anyone give me a level of comfort about just going to the latest
jdk and jre? Is there an advantage to going to the latest 1.6 versus
the last 1.5? The liability of 1.6 is, of course, it's not as tested
as the previous releases but, as java has matured, I think that some
of that may be pretty minimal. I don't have enough data to judge.

Ooh, I don't know about all that. Sun's own tests are pretty durned
exhaustive, and 6 has been through quite the beta process. Why don'tcha mosey
on over to their bugs and RFE place if you want to know what issues you might
face?

<http://bugs.sun.com/bugdatabase/index.jsp>

Perhaps in there you'll find enough data to judge.

-- Lew

 

[jb]

I have read that 1.6 (from sun java blog) has preatty impresive
improvements in GUI laying performance (over 1.5), but I dont know it
these improvements will affect your progams. So if performance is a
factor (or likely will be) you ought to consider that.

 

[Lew]

I maintain a product line that consists of a dedicated Linux system
running Java to provide a GUI interface as a control system for
underlying hardware. I've been working to move to jdk 1.5 (not hard
but I'm busy) and now this new DST thing which is not covered by the
version I've been porting to (1.5.0-b64) makes me want to rething
about going to the latest 1.6. It seems every version change had
problems in the beginning and I didn't even try 1.6 because of that.
Now I'm thinking about it again.

Older versions of J5 and versions 1.4 and earlier require a simple downloaded
fix from Sun to handle DST. You might consider using the released version of
J5, which already has the fix, instead of the beta version.

Can anyone give me a level of comfort about just going to the latest
jdk and jre? Is there an advantage to going to the latest 1.6 versus
the last 1.5? The liability of 1.6 is, of course, it's not as tested
as the previous releases but, as java has matured, I think that some
of that may be pretty minimal. I don't have enough data to judge.

If you are concerned about version stability, why are you using a beta of J5?

Bear in mind that J1.4 is the old, creaky, hoary, nearly obsolescent version.
J6 is the current release. J5 has been out about two and a half years, now.

> It seems every version change had problems in the beginning and I didn't even try 1.6 because of that.
> Now I'm thinking about it again.

There have been bugs reported in 6, some of which carried over from 5, but for
the most part it works as advertised. Have you been checking Sun's bug list to
see if the issues affect your situation?

It's hardly the "beginning" for J5 any more.

> Can anyone give me a level of comfort about just going to the latest
> jdk and jre? Is there an advantage to going to the latest 1.6 versus
> the last 1.5? The liability of 1.6 is, of course, it's not as tested
> as the previous releases but, as java has matured, I think that some
> of that may be pretty minimal. I don't have enough data to judge.

Ooh, I don't know about all that. Sun's own tests are pretty durned
exhaustive, and 6 has been through quite the beta process. Why don'tcha mosey
on over to their bugs and RFE place if you want to know what issues you might
face?

<http://bugs.sun.com/bugdatabase/index.jsp>

Perhaps in there you'll find enough data to judge.

-- Lew

 

[Lew]

I'm sure this question has been posted but I've not found any
definitive answer.

I maintain a product line that consists of a dedicated Linux system
running Java to provide a GUI interface as a control system for
underlying hardware. I've been working to move to jdk 1.5 (not hard
but I'm busy) and now this new DST thing which is not covered by the
version I've been porting to (1.5.0-b64) makes me want to rething

Older versions of J5 and versions 1.4 and earlier require a simple downloaded
fix from Sun to handle DST.

about going to the latest 1.6. It seems every version change had
problems in the beginning and I didn't even try 1.6 because of that.
Now I'm thinking about it again.

It's hardly the "beginning" for J5 any more.

Bear in mind that J6 is the current release. J5 has been out about two and a
half years, now. J1.4 is the old, creaky, hoary, nearly obsolescent version.

There have been bugs reported in 6, some of which carried over from 5, but for
the most part it works as advertised. Have you been checking Sun's bug list to
see if the issues affect your situation?

Can anyone give me a level of comfort about just going to the latest
jdk and jre? Is there an advantage to going to the latest 1.6 versus
the last 1.5? The liability of 1.6 is, of course, it's not as tested
as the previous releases but, as java has matured, I think that some
of that may be pretty minimal. I don't have enough data to judge.

Ooh, I don't know about all that. Sun's own tests are pretty durned
exhaustive, and 6 has been through quite the beta process. Why don'tcha mosey
on over to their bugs and RFE place if you want to know what issues you might
face?

<http://bugs.sun.com/bugdatabase/index.jsp>

Perhaps in there you'll find enough data to judge.

-- Lew

 

[James Kimble]

Older versions of J5 and versions 1.4 and earlier require a simple downloaded
fix from Sun to handle DST.


It's hardly the "beginning" for J5 any more.

Bear in mind that J6 is the current release. J5 has been out about two and a
half years, now. J1.4 is the old, creaky, hoary, nearly obsolescent version.

There have been bugs reported in 6, some of which carried over from 5, but for
the most part it works as advertised. Have you been checking Sun's bug list to
see if the issues affect your situation?


Ooh, I don't know about all that. Sun's own tests are pretty durned
exhaustive, and 6 has been through quite the beta process. Why don'tcha mosey
on over to their bugs and RFE place if you want to know what issues you might
face?

<http://bugs.sun.com/bugdatabase/index.jsp>

Perhaps in there you'll find enough data to judge.

-- Lew

In reviewing the bug list (should have done that first) I think 1.6 is
the way to go. I don't see anything that will be negative and a great
deal that will be positive. Thanks for the insight.

--jk

 

[Andrew Thompson]

I'm sure this question has been posted ...

...that's not surprising, given you posted it.

Please refrain from multi-posting in future.
<http://www.physci.org/codes/javafaq.html#xpost>

(Note X-post to c.l.j.p./g., w/ f-u to c.l.j.p. only)

Andrew T.

 

[Andrew Thompson]

...me an email. Please note the 'Quote'.
<http://groups.google.com/groups/profile?
enc_user=7mTjyhYAAADCSWBnolz9mAH1YeBMyEJTo4cocwWvDVg2RHsu8f1bCg>

Andrew T.