should FOP require JDK1.2.x?

[schen at falconwing.com]

On Sun, 19 Sep 1999, Michael Champion wrote:

I wrote:  
>> Not all platforms have stable 1.2 support yet, in fact the only two 
>> platforms that seem to be ok are Windows and Solaris, with Sun's JVM.
[ ... ] 
>> On the other hand, if FOP is just targetting bleeding-edge users, it
>> would make sense if you really need the 1.2 features. 

> I suspect that FOP is targeting users for the forseeable FUTURE; if
> there is anything tangible in 1.2 that would make the spec cleaner and
> more powerful, I'd say to use it, even at the cost of some short-run
> inconvenience. 

> Today's bleeding edge is next year's plain old ordinary stuff, and the
> year after that's "legacy code".

Of course that is true, but if James is hoping for a wide array of
beta-testers and co-developers, then it doesn't make sense to move to 1.2
completely unless there is a compelling case where complicated code that
is limited by 1.1 capabilities can be reduced in a single stroke by moving
to 1.2.  Many times a migration can be put off or at least 1.2-dependent
functionality can be modularized.

For example, I found it advisable to use the 1.2 Java collection classes,
but I'm fortunate in that Sun released a version of those for 1.1 users.
Swing is similar in that fashion.  On the other hand, dependence
on features such as Java 2D, printing, and Media would mandate a move to
1.2.

We could make a more concrete determination if James outlined the features
he's looking to use in 1.2.

. . . Sean.



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