Posted by: Anonymous
[ip: 71.126.230.78]
on October 13, 2007 08:10 AM
New Note 82
It is kind of funny how some people make unsubstantiated generalizations usually from bits and pieces of information they picked up from a friend of a friend or some article they half read. Don't even try to bring performance FUD to the table here. Java would run fine on the XO, perhaps faster than Python in some areas (Python isn't the fastest language out there).
Java itself is actually a very good language, and while it is not perfect (no language is) it does have certain advantages for the XO including the security model and the ability to sanely handle out of memory issues.
That being said Python was chosen not just because of Java's licenses but more importantly Python is an easy to learn interpreted language which makes it easy for kids to view and experiment with. The compile step of Java would mean they would not be getting the source code on the machine itself and if they did manage to write a Java program they would then have to compile it. This raises the barrier to entry for tinkering with the device - one of the stated advantages of the OLPC project.
Learn about Linux
Download Linux
Get Linux help
Re: Javalobby calls for Java port to OLPC
Posted by: Anonymous [ip: 71.126.230.78] on October 13, 2007 08:10 AMIt is kind of funny how some people make unsubstantiated generalizations usually from bits and pieces of information they picked up from a friend of a friend or some article they half read. Don't even try to bring performance FUD to the table here. Java would run fine on the XO, perhaps faster than Python in some areas (Python isn't the fastest language out there).
Java itself is actually a very good language, and while it is not perfect (no language is) it does have certain advantages for the XO including the security model and the ability to sanely handle out of memory issues.
That being said Python was chosen not just because of Java's licenses but more importantly Python is an easy to learn interpreted language which makes it easy for kids to view and experiment with. The compile step of Java would mean they would not be getting the source code on the machine itself and if they did manage to write a Java program they would then have to compile it. This raises the barrier to entry for tinkering with the device - one of the stated advantages of the OLPC project.
#