Subject: bug#8540: [PATCH] Make clear the JAVA primary will no longer be developed, not even for bug fixes.

From: Stefano Lattarini <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 26 Dec 2013 15:47:49 +0100

tags 8540 + wontfix
tags 8662 + wontfix
close 8540
close 8662
stop

References:
<http://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=8662>
<http://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=8540>

The existing java support in Automake is (with the JAVA primary) is
botched and hardly usable, so I'd rather declare it frozen and spend
no more time on it.  The right direction for a better Java support
in automake is likely to implement the proposed new JARS primary:
<http://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=9088>

The attached patch enhances the manual to make it clear that the
JAVA primary support is to be considered frozen, and will not even
receive bug fixes.

Unfortunately, I will have no time to attempt that implementation
myself in the foreseeable future, but I sill hope someone else will
find the time and motivation to give it a shot.

Anyway, I'm closing the bugs referring to the old JAVA primary as
"Will not fix", to try to reduce the clutter in the Automake bug
tracker.

Thanks,
  Stefano
>From 50a08a2bc300d600603cdb5b5756baf71b9b431a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
Message-Id: <50a08a2bc[email-masked]>
From: Stefano Lattarini <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 26 Dec 2013 15:46:13 +0100
Subject: [PATCH] docs: make clear the JAVA primary is frozen

* doc/automake.texi: Here.  The JAVA primary is broken in several ways,
and will no longer be developed, not even for bug fixes.

See also automake bugs #9088, #8662 and #8540.

Signed-off-by: Stefano Lattarini <[email-masked]>
---
 doc/automake.texi | 4 +++-
 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/doc/automake.texi b/doc/automake.texi
index 91b4a0a..6d90182 100644
--- a/doc/automake.texi
+++ b/doc/automake.texi
@@ -7598,7 +7598,9 @@ native machine code; @pxref{Java Support with gcj}).  Note however that
 Future Automake releases will strive to provide a better and cleaner
 interface, which however @emph{won't be backward-compatible}; the present
 interface will probably be removed altogether some time after the
-introduction of the new interface (if that ever materializes).
+introduction of the new interface (if that ever materializes).  In any
+case, the current @code{JAVA} primary features are frozen and will no
+longer be developed, not even to take bug fixes.
 
 Any @file{.java} files listed in a @code{_JAVA} variable will be
 compiled with @code{JAVAC} at build time.  By default, @file{.java}
-- 
1.8.5.rc0.335.g7794a68