Re: [GNUnet-developers] Java (was Freenet 0.5)

[Brett Wooldridge]

First, thanks for the reply.

Blake Matheny wrote:

> The FSF would _prefer_ that an
> application is written in a non-proprietary language, but it isn't required.
> When GNU Java, or another GPL friendly Java interpreter is ready, I'm sure
> that the FSF will warm up to the idea.
Well, the FSF would _prefer_ that people run on non-proprietary 
operating systems, as well.  I doubt
FSF will every warm-up to Java, C#, Windows, or Mac.

> If GNUnet is going to succeed, we can't be stuck waiting for GNU Java or Sun to
> port to new systems.
Don't get me wrong, but if _that's_ really the goal -- a large number of 
GNUnet nodes and clients -- then
a Windows specific solution, ala Kazaa, would be the way to go. 
Unbelievable as it might seem, Microsoft
has the lion share of operating system installs.  Personally, I run 
Linux _and_ Windows.  But I know that if
GNUnet is going to succeed, it needs an installed base comparable to 
Kazaa.  And having said that, IMHO,
the best cross-platform GUI applications I've seen have been written in 
Java.

> Finally, people know C. If you take some time and compare the number of open
> source projects written in Java vs. C/C++, you will see that C/C++ has a
> significant lead over Java. C has been around for decades and as a result
> there are many many people who are proficient in the language. Choosing a
> language that lots of people know is a good way to get volunteers.
There are extensive studies by Evans Data Corp. (including the Linux 
Developer Survey) that basically
sum up as follows:  1) There are more programmers who currently identify 
themselves as Java programmers
than C/C++ programmers, and 2) C/C++ is more popular than Java among 
Unix developers.

The fact is, the vast majority of open source projects have been started 
by developers from the Un*x
school.  Possibly due to their history and background of open source. 
However, that does not mean
that C/C++ should be the default and is the appropriate language for any 
given project.

The fact is, as much as I love Linux (for example), Linux isn't 
"popular".  Not if you count users.  Not
even close.  It couldn't be more UN-popular if it tried.  Let's get 
realistic.  What are the goals of
GNUnet?  I thought they were to build the most widely used, 
censorship-resistant, anonymous data
exchange backbone possible.  If that's the goal, the more cross-platform 
the better.  If we can write it
once and run it on Windows, Mac, and Linux (sorry about you're BSD 
there, but it's a secondary
platform target), then that's what the project should do.  No politics, 
just efficiency.  Period.

-brett