Why is Java STILL bad in OSX?

[RHITMacMan]

apple likes to tout their platform as a premier platform for java development, because they provide a native java API to the OS. it is the only OS (other than solaris from sun) that does anything like this.

Are you referring to the ability to write a JAVA app and compile it into an OS X only application? I've did this several times and found it to work extremely well. I'm not sure since I've never tried it, but I've been told there are some commercial software development applications for Windows like JBuilder that allow you to compile windows only executables as well.

For those that may be lost, normally an application written in JAVA is compiled in virtual machine code that allows it to run via the Java Virtual Machine on any OS. So it does not need to be recompiled for each platform. The drawback is that sometimes running a JAVA app via the virtual machine can cause the app to run slower than an app compiled in native machine code specfically for the hardware used with your platform, i.e. x86 code vs. PPC code. With the OS X Developer Tools, you can compile your JAVA app into OS X PPC machine code and therefore enable the app to run natively without the virtual machine. I personally think it would be great to be able to write an application in JAVA and then be able to compile it with absolutely no code changes into a native executable without the need for virtual machine translation layer. I think the crossplatform compatibility of compiling apps to run via the virtual machine is best left for JAVA apps delivered via the web. This is what makes JAVA so great!!!

Crossplatform Portability and Compatibility!!!

[Tigger]

Originally posted by RHITMacMan
With the OS X Developer Tools, you can compile your JAVA app into OS X PPC machine code and therefore enable the app to run natively without the virtual machine.

This is not true.
The only thing native is the user interface. Everything else is still Java.

Make a Control Click on one of your apps you have made and click view Contents.
Somewhere inside are still the Java Classes (or a .jar file)
Everything you have done in Java is still Java Bytecode and runs in the VM.

[RHITMacMan]

That's quite interesting. I was under a totally different impression. I'll have to check this out. The question is, does it still use the virtual machine? If what you state is true, I would think it might have to. Although, it does some funny things. If I run a .jar or .class file I get the JAVA GUI interface layout, if I run the Developer tools developed app, I get the native OS X interface layouts like you state.