JDK 7 Release Date set for mid 2012 or mid 2011 depending on how it is defined

I don't care about Java language features at this point. The sooner invokedynamic can make it into a supported jvm, the better. Go for plan B.

Jeez, they gotta just get it out there.

The one thing that is almost certain is that whatever they schedule for 2012 will probably not appear in 2012 but rather in 2014 or 2016 by which time several more "essential" features will have made it into Java and hence we will be reading a blog post about how it is now clear that the original schedule wasn't realistic and we should decide whether to split the release or combine the schedule with that of the newly acquired Duke Nukem forever and go for a big 2020 splash. Sigh.

Right now, JDK7 is seeming to me a lot like Microsoft's Vista release.

I wonder what the price will be (per CPU)?

It seems a good idea... who cares who you define it in the end. Anyone who likes "release early, release often" will probably agree too.

Personally as a Ruby user I am looking forward to all the dynamic goodness that JDK 7 is supposed to bring (I am not a Java developer so that's my main concern).

But the best feeling I am having is that it feels like Java has against some stewardship: though not everyone will agree with their choices, I think it will do the platform a lot of good.

There has to be a better way to raise optimism about a release that has been continually delayed, other than to start soliciting public user feedback as to what the medium term plans for the development schedule should be?

The just decouple the Java and the JVM. You can push changes on the JVM pretty easy. The Language implementers then can use that stuff if they like.

The Language Java needs its own release cycle.

Between this and Oracle, Java has a very interesting year ahead of it. What it has going for it: the major alternative is Microsoft (at least for enterprise); fragmentation in the language space (there's no dominant language, just a growing number of very good options); a large user base that isn't going anywhere too quickly (because of it's heavy enterprise orientation).

Hmmm. More news that makes Scala and Clojure look more attractive than Java for new development.

Does it come with a EULA that clearly specifies what I can build without being sued?