I stumbled upon an OSNews announcement that claims a cross-platform tool called Java Grinder has been updated with the ability to compile Java code so they run on the Amiga 68k platform. The video of it in action on an Amiga 1000 looks impressive, though I expect there are limitations on the type of code it supports and there's no indication on whether the compiled code works on later Amigas. Would anyone like to give it a try?

"Java Grinder is a tool that gives the ability to write programs in Java to run natively on microcontrollers, game consoles, and computers. Java Grinder is not a JVM, but instead translates byte-code from Java .class files into native assembly code much like a JIT or an "ahead of time" compiler"

"Since Java Grinder... already supports the Motorola 68000 CPU with the Sega Genesis I figured it shouldn't be too hard to extend the MC68000.cxx class to support the Commodore Amiga computer. More specifically, the original Amiga 1000."

Amiga Java Grinder page

Video of A1000 running a demo written in Java

Last edited by gareth_k on 17-Jan-2020 at 02:05 AM.
Last edited by gareth_k on 17-Jan-2020 at 02:03 AM.

@gareth_k

Having Java on the Amiga would be great. Lots of possibilities for apps and libraries/frameworks that could fill many voids we have on our beloved platform. i will check it.

@toRus

Don’t get your hopes up, this is not about running a jvm on Amiga, lol

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GRINDER, eh?

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@MEGA_RJ_MICAL
Evil minded, the name Grinder isn't related with laugh plants, it is chance.

@gareth_k

Java is mostly used in backend servers.

@kamelito

Quote:

Java is mostly used in backend servers.

Yes, but that said, I rather like JavaFX. It's about the only part of Java that I do like. That, and it's a reasonably good way to pay the bills.

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@gareth_k

There are AFAIK one or two JVM for the Amiga. the problems where the missing classes. Without the standard classes you can't run standard Java programs.

But Java itself changed a lot since it was announced as a big hope for X-platform programming. Java was announced as invention that will make the OS insignificant. Java coders started using classes that gave their programs a more 'native' look, so a program for Windows will look like a real Windows program and in the end, they started using classes that where not platform independent any more.

Today Java programs are programmed for Windows, some others are coded for Linux and they won't run on another platform.

No this won't help the Amiga (nor AOS4, nor MOS, nor AROS) and it will not make JavaME games run on our platform.

Last edited by OneTimer1 on 18-Jan-2020 at 04:36 PM.
Last edited by OneTimer1 on 17-Jan-2020 at 09:52 PM.

I had Jave on my A1200 back in the 90's It was pretty basic and only allowed for console programs

Full modern Java with all the libs would be quite the dev effort Even a Java VM would be quite the effort though a nice to have

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Hi all!

Quote:

OneTimer1 wrote: @gareth_k There are AFAIK one or two JVM for the Amiga. the problems where the missing classes. Without the standard classes you can't run standard Java programs.

Indeed! Two difficulties exist for porting Java to AmigaOS (or any other OSes/Hardware):

- Porting the Java Virtual Machine (JVM), which interprets the bytecode (compiled Java code). In particular, JVMs are heavily optimised and embed just-in-time compilers (JIT) for additional performances.

- Porting the Java Class Libraries (JCL), which support developers to program, from String to reflection to windowing toolkits (AWT, Swing). Some parts of the JCL is straightforward to port, other not so much, in particular AWT because it relates to the particular graphic capabilities of the OS.

Quote:

But Java itself changed a lot since it was announced as a big hope for X-platform programming. Java was announced as invention that will make the OS insignificant. Java coders started using classes that gave their programs a more 'native' look, so a program for Windows will look like a real Windows program and in the end, they started using classes that where not platform independent any more. Today Java programs are programmed for Windows, some others are coded for Linux and they won't run on another platform. No this won't help the Amiga (nor AOS4, nor MOS, nor AROS) and it will not make JavaME games run on our platform.

Not so true, only when using native libraries through the Java Native Interface (JNI) do developers program for a particular OS. The (visual) differences between OSes come from differences in the implementations of the JCL.

(Besides, to be called "Java", JVM + JCL must pass the tests in the Java Compliance Kit (JCK), preventing major semantic differences between OSes.)

Take care!

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