Re: [Cocoa-Java] Aquataxx source code
Re: [Cocoa-Java] Aquataxx source code
- Subject: Re: [Cocoa-Java] Aquataxx source code
- From: Steve Klingsporn <email@hidden>
- Date: Mon, 4 Nov 2002 17:44:55 -0600
Using Cocoa/Objective-C doesn't mean giving up the Java libraries you
want to use. You can still use them, via the Java Bridge which makes
Cocoa/Java possible in the first place. If you want to use a Java
API, like Lucene, or something in java.util, you can just access it
across
the bridge.
I realize this. If I were going to rewrite my game (shareware games
don't sell, but that wasn't the point with this exercise) in
Objective-C, I'd just rewrite the entire thing in Objective-C. I still
don't see what's wrong with using AppKit Java, seeing as AppKit Java is
provided and supported by Apple.
Another developer I've met up with over this and the java-dev list is
having some similar problems that I am. He has a NeXT background as
well. I guess the questions that both of us seem to have are:
- Who is a good point-person to discuss Cocoa-Java/AppKit Java issues
with at Apple?
- What kind of engineering resources are dedicated to the upkeep and
furthering of Cooca-Java?
- What is Apple's official response? Direction?
I am personally interested in working on Cocoa-Java at Apple, if
something is available in that department.
Using Cocoa/Java in order to use non-Cocoa Java APIs
means using the bridge a lot more than you need to, and
paying a performance toll as a result. And losing some
Cocoa API support.
You can tell from the performance of my app that it's still pretty
usable and performance is pretty good. I've developed it on a
not-so-fast machine, behind a dialup line, and am happy with its
performance. I'm sure it would be faster in Objective-C, but that
wasn't the point of this exercise. The point was to learn the Cocoa
API, take a game that was in Applet form and "port it" over to use
Cocoa, and to thoroughly expose myself to and exercise the Java-Cocoa
API.
If I worked for Apple on Cocoa-Java, and were allowed to define my
priorities, I would make sure that the Java version was on parity with
the developments in the Cocoa group, and would be a point person of
sorts for these types of issues.
I have no question that life is prettier on the Objective-C side of
things, and no disbelief that staying in a native environment and
calling code from like code is faster. I chose to use Java for the
specific reasons outlined above.
And, if you use Objective-C, then you get to use all those third-party
C/C++ libraries, which are a pain to use from Java.
Don't even get me started about what a nightmare using C/C++ libraries
from 3rd parties can be. It's much easier to mitigate possible damage
to your program from 3rd-party Java libraries than 3rd-party C-based
libraries. Memory leaks. Crashes that bring down your app, etc. I'm
having trouble with one 3rd-party Objective-C-based library being
called from my app as it is! =)
Steve
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