JRuby 1.0.1 and Jython 2.2 Released

I'm in the airport, but I wanted to add to the blogs reporting that JRuby 1.0.1 and Jython 2.2 have been released.

JRuby 1.0.1 is basically just a maintenance release to 1.0. It includes various compatibility fixes that have filtered in since the release, and doesn't do much to improve performance. JRuby 1.1 will come out by November, and should have all the latest research and perf work, including a complete compiler to JVM bytecode.

Jython 2.2 is much bigger news. After years of sleepily crawling along, the 2.2 release of Jython has finally been released. With 2.2 behind them, the Jython team can now be more ambitious about adding Python 2.3, 2.4, and 2.5 features. Much of that work has already started. Also coming up is a new JVM bytecode compiler. If you're a Python guy, give Jython a try today...those guys have put a lot of time and effort in.

I also understand that Groovy is supposed to have their 1.1 release out some time in October. Happy times for dynlangs on the JVM!

NetBeans Ruby Support is the BOMB

OMG NetBeans Ruby support is so awesome. I just picked up some of the recent dailies, and it does stuff I just can't believe. But don't take my word for it.

Today I stumbled back into the NetBeans Ruby Wiki, expecting to just find the same old "how to download", "how to install", and "how to build" instructions. Instead I find a nicely-organized set of pages describing (with screenshots!) all of the really awesome features.

Refactoring? Check. Debugging? Check. YAML and RHTML editing? Check. Test running? Check.

It just goes on and on.

If you haven't given it a try, and you're a Ruby programmer, you owe it to yourself to check it out. And if you ph34r a gigantic IDE download with support for Java and UML and BPEL and other stuff you'll never used, there's a Ruby-only IDE available too; check the Installation page. Incredible.

Direct links to feature pages:

• RubyEditing describes the editing features available.
• RubyRefactoring describes the refactoring features available.
• RubyProjects describes the project features available.
• RubyOnRails describes the Ruby On Rails features available.
• RubyDebugging describes the debugging features available.
• RubyTesting describes the testing features available.
• RubyCodeTemplates describes the live code templates feature.
• RubyHints describes the quickfixes and hints feature.
• RubyShortcuts lists keyboard shortcuts relevant to Ruby

Widening the JVM Languages Group: We Need You!

We need diversity in the JVM Languages group, and it's been brought to my attention that some popular/key/interesting languages may not have representation. So we need to change that.

If you are interested in the future of non-Java languages on the JVM, you should be on this list. Yes, we talk about a lot of JVM language implementation challenges, we discuss compilers and stack frames and call-site optimizations, but we also talk about features peripheral to language implementation like package indexing and retrofitting Java 5+ code. We need your help.

Once you've joined, or if you're already member, you have a second task

I respectfully request that each of you search out one individual you think would be interested in the list and try to get them involved. Toss them a quick email, invite them to describe their project or language or implementation to us, and promise them they're joining a very interesting and entertaining community. History will thank you, and so will I.

A Business Case for Supporting Jython

The facts:

• Sun and many other organizations have started considering moves to Mercurial. In Sun's case, it's a mandate for all Sun-managed OSS projects (OpenSolaris, OpenJDK, etc).
• Moving projects to Mercurial frequently (usually?) requires IDE/tool support.
  
• Sun's IDE/tools and those of many other organizations are Java-based (NetBeans, Eclipse, and so on).
• Mercurial is written in Python.
• Jython is an implementation of Python for the JVM.

Therefore, Jython Mercurial support would be an excellent vector to Mercurial adoption within Java organizations (Sun included, I'd wager). Corollary: getting Mercurial running on Jython is an excellent business case for contributing time and resources to Jython.

Put simply: if you want to become an OSS rockstar tomorrow, get Mercurial running on Jython.

(credit for this idea goes to OpenJDK ambassador Tom Marble...I'm just trying to needle the OSS world into making it happen)