2 ms·

Ron is outspoken and knows the issues better than most. But he can be blunt on his perspectives and definitely does not represent the whole ecosystem or the maj

Ron is outspoken and knows the issues better than most. But he can be blunt on his perspectives and definitely does not represent the whole ecosystem or the majority perspective on all things Java. For _many_ enterprise users, there is indeed something particularly special about the LTS releases. Even if it's just a marketing term, it's still important to realize that organizations value stability, and the LTS releases can offer that at a different comfort level (and price point). Yes, LTS was dreamed up as a way for Oracle to make money on open source Java. But the other non-Oracle vendors (equally important to the ecosystem) very much have similar offers of support that Oracle provides. I'm glad for the model, frankly. And I'm excited about Java's future. LTS releases helps smooth out discussions with CTO types about how to live with Java. Developers can use the latest-greatest and be sure to target a particular LTS version for deployment. Finally Java seems to be moving again. When pron comes in here and smacks us down with his replies, that's OK, I'm comfortable with my perspective. :)

carimura 4y ago
The operative word is perspective. He represents the perspective of the Java Platform Group where most of the project leads and key developers work (see my comment below). We certainly get that many in the industry see LTS releases as something special, but from the perspective of those that build the platform, they are just another release. This is an important distinction because thinking LTS is special might lead to the inaccurate notion that a non-LTS release is somehow of lower quality, which I hear surprisingly often. And glad you are excited about the future of Java and the model itself! Most of this work is funded by the LTS model which was designed to give companies the flexibility to decide their upgrade strategy. Lots of teams want to move quickly and get new features, while others just want the app in the corner to be stable for years to come.

carimura 4y ago

The operative word is perspective. He represents the perspective of the Java Platform Group where most of the project leads and key developers work (see my comment below). We certainly get that many in the industry see LTS releases as something special, but from the perspective of those that build the platform, they are just another release. This is an important distinction because thinking LTS is special might lead to the inaccurate notion that a non-LTS release is somehow of lower quality, which I hear surprisingly often. And glad you are excited about the future of Java and the model itself! Most of this work is funded by the LTS model which was designed to give companies the flexibility to decide their upgrade strategy. Lots of teams want to move quickly and get new features, while others just want the app in the corner to be stable for years to come.