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Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2014 02:44:28 +0000
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 <CAOGo0VaNyCSSNK82jvf2sfoPM0oL7e9tWwhgRVd8U939VmEAtQ@mail.gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Drop Java 6 support for the next release?
From: sebb <sebbaz@gmail.com>
To: dev@jmeter.apache.org
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On 15 November 2014 22:24, Milamber <milamber@apache.org> wrote:
>
> On 15/11/2014 19:00, sebb wrote:
>> On 15 November 2014 18:27, Milamber <milamber@apache.org> wrote:
>>> Hello,
>>>
>>> I would open the discussion to remove the Java 6 support (End Of Life:
>>> Feb 2013) to JMeter for next release (in 2015 I think).
>>>
>>> I think, now, the Java 7 (or 8) is widespread on computer.
>>>
>>> For history:
>>> JMeter 2.9 (2013-01-28) drop the Java 1.5 support (EOL Oct 2009)
>>> JMeter 2.4 (2010-07-12) drop the Java 1.4 support (EOL Oct 2008)
>>>
>>> Note : Java 7 EOL is April 2015
>>>
>>>
>>> Have you some special objections to remove the Java 6 support to JMeter?
>>>
>> JMeter is an a stand-alone application, and so other Java code is not
>> generally dependent on it.
>>
>> This means we have more freedom when deciding the minimum Java version.
>> If necessary, JMeter can be installed on a separate system with a more
>> recent version of Java.
>>
>> I think the main constraint is whether or not the Java version is
>> readily available and stable on a wide variety of platforms.
>>
>> Having said that, unless a newer version of Java offers significant
>> benefits, there is no point in forcing (some) users to upgrade Java.
>>
>> So: what are the features of Java 7 and/or 8 that would improve JMeter?
>
> I'm not sure that is the good question.

It is the main question we should ask ourselves.

> Why Apache JMeter must support the EOL Java versions ? and (second
> question) why JMeter must work on a non-supported version of Java by
> editor ?

I'm not saying it must work on EOL versions of Java.
Remember that Java applications are upwards compatible, so we are not
stopping it from being used with Java 7,8,9 etc.

However, we should not arbitrarily require Java 7 just because Java 6 is EOL.

> For example, the bug 54477 is only fixed by using the Java 7 version. We
> can't fix this bug with Oracle (Sun) because the EOL arrived...

That is exactly the sort of information that I meant.

> I'm made a lot of load testing mission, and I have always the
> possibility to install the latest Java version. JMeter isn't a server
> process like httpd, the compliant with old version isn't mandatory for
> the run test, the load tester (person who make the load test or
> functional test) can always impose their requirements (i.e. Java version).
>
> If I follow your logical think, the question is: when the JMeter minimal
> Java version must be change? Why wait 4 years to upgrade to Java 5? or 2
> years to upgrade to Java 1.4? what is the criteria to upgrade the Java
> runtime at this time (2009 / 2008)?
>
> Please, give us the reasons to keep the reason to keep JMeter compliant
> with no-support of the Java version by the editor (and the security
> issues, bug issue with old version)?

I am not saying we have to keep JMeter compliant with Java 6.

However I am saying that we should not break compliance merely because
Java 6 is EOL.

It looks like there are some good reasons for requiring Java 7.

I'm not so sure that there are good reasons for requiring Java 8.

> Milamber
>
>
>
>
>
>>
>>> Milamber
>>>
>>>
>>> [ Oracle Java SE Support Roadmap]
>>> http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/eol-135779.html
>>>
>