Yeah, C and Java have had non-breaking changes for years. Java code from 1995 can still compile and execute in Java 17 (2021).
I imagine COBOL is similarly stable but I have no experience there.
I imagine COBOL is similarly stable but I have no experience there.
I haven't programmed in COBOL, but it is quite stable. One of the really nice things in COBOL is the "Environment Division", which has a Configuration Section, which provides information about the system on which the program is written and executed. It consists of two paragraphs − – Source computer: System used to compile the program. – Object computer: System used to execute the program.
Another remarkably stable language is Ada, I have used it to compile non-trivial programs from 30+ years ago, on a different architecture than it was originally written for (granted, without system dependency) using a modern compiler without anything more than (1) renaming identifiers which had been made keywords, (2) splitting files due to GNAT's implementation limitation regarding compilation-units.
K&R C won't compile in modern compilers, not is allowed as per ISO C2X upcoming standard.
gets was removed.
And if you are using optional Annexes, they might not even exist in ISO C compliant compilers.
Similarly, that Java code will die if it uses internals made private in Java 9, inherits from JDBC and has methods with names that were later added to more recent versions, uses deprecated methods that were finally removed around Java 10 time,...
Minecraft, in particular, has always worked fine with Java 9+, ime: if you know the flags to apply (and delete the jar that checks the Java version), it more or less just worked. I’ve been running it for a year+ on new JVMs so I could use the Shenandoah GC and take advantage of more of the 128GB RAM in my desktop.
This is the last step before they get fully removed.