JDK 22, the first non-LTS release since JDK 21, has reached its second release candidate phase as declared by Mark Reinhold, Chief Architect, Java Platform Group at Oracle. The main-line source repository, forked to the JDK stabilization repository in mid-December 2023 (Rampdown Phase One), defines the feature set for JDK 22. Critical bugs, such as regressions or serious functionality issues, may be addressed, but must be approved via the Fix-Request process. As per the release schedule, JDK 22 will be formally released on March 19, 2024.
The final set of 12 new features, in the form of JEPs, can be separated into four (4) categories: Core Java Library, Java Language Specification, HotSpot and Java Tools.
Six (6) of these new features are categorized under Core Java Library:
Four (4) of these new features are categorized under Java Language Specification:
One (1) of these new features are categorized under HotSpot:
And finally, one (1) of these new features is categorized under Java Tools:
We examine some of these new features and include where they fall under the auspices of the four major Java projects – Amber, Loom, Panama and Valhalla – designed to incubate a series of components for eventual inclusion in the JDK through a curated merge.
Project Amber
JEP 463, Implicitly Declared Classes and Instance Main Methods (Second Preview), formerly known as Unnamed Classes and Instance Main Methods (Preview), Flexible Main Methods and Anonymous Main Classes (Preview) and Implicit Classes and Enhanced Main Methods (Preview), incorporates enhancements in response to feedback from the previous round of preview, namely JEP 445, Unnamed Classes and Instance Main Methods (Preview). This JEP proposes to “evolve the Java language so that students can write their first programs without needing to understand language features designed for large programs.” This feature moves forward the September 2022 blog post, Paving the on-ramp, by Brian Goetz, Java Language Architect at Oracle. Gavin Bierman, Consulting Member of Technical Staff at Oracle, has published the first draft of the specification document for review by the Java community. Further details on JEP 445 may be found in this InfoQ news story.
JEP 459, String Templates (Second Preview), provides a second preview from the first round of preview: JEP 430, String Templates (Preview), delivered in JDK 21. This feature enhances the Java programming language with string templates, string literals containing embedded expressions, that are interpreted at runtime where the embedded expressions are evaluated and verified. More details on JEP 430 may be found in this InfoQ news story.
JEP 456, Unnamed Variables & Patterns, proposes to finalize this feature after one previous round of preview: JEP 443, Unnamed Patterns and Variables (Preview), delivered in JDK 21. This feature will “enhance the language with unnamed patterns, which match a record component without stating the component’s name or type, and unnamed variables, which can be initialized but not used.” Both of these are denoted by the underscore character as in r instanceof _(int x, int y) and r instanceof _.
JEP 447, Statements before super(…) (Preview), proposes to: allow statements that do not reference an instance being created to appear before the this() or super() calls in a constructor; and preserve existing safety and initialization guarantees for constructors. Bierman has also provided an initial specification of this feature for the Java community to review and provide feedback.
Project Loom
JEP 464, Scoped Values (Second Preview), formerly known as Extent-Local Variables (Incubator), proposes a second preview, without change, in order to gain additional experience and feedback from one round of incubation and one round of preview: JEP 446, Scoped Values (Preview), delivered in JDK 21; and JEP 429, Scoped Values (Incubator), delivered in JDK 20. This feature enables sharing of immutable data within and across threads. This is preferred to thread-local variables, especially when using large numbers of virtual threads.
JEP 462, Structured Concurrency (Second Preview), proposes a second preview, without change, in order to gain more feedback from the previous round of preview: JEP 453, Structured Concurrency (Preview), delivered in JDK 21. This feature simplifies concurrent programming by introducing structured concurrency to “treat groups of related tasks running in different threads as a single unit of work, thereby streamlining error handling and cancellation, improving reliability, and enhancing observability.”
Scheduled for a GA release in September 2024, there is only one JEP targeted for JDK 23 at this time. However, based on a number of JEP candidates and drafts, especially those that have been submitted, we can surmise which additional JEPs have the potential to be included in JDK 23.
JEP 455, Primitive Types in Patterns, instanceof, and switch (Preview), has been Targeted for JDK 23. This JEP, under the auspices of Project Amber, proposes to enhance pattern matching by allowing primitive type patterns in all pattern contexts, and extend instanceof and switch to work with all primitive types. Aggelos Biboudis, Principal Member of Technical Staff at Oracle, has recently published an updated draft specification for this feature.
JEP 468, Derived Record Creation (Preview), has been promoted from its JDK Draft 8321133 to Candidate status. This JEP proposes to enhance the Java language with derived creation for records. Since records are immutable objects, developers frequently create new records from old records to model new data. Derived creation streamlines code by deriving a new record from an existing record, specifying only the components that are different.
JEP 467, Markdown Documentation Comments, has been promoted from its JDK Draft 8316039 to Candidate status. This feature proposes to enable JavaDoc documentation comments to be written in Markdown rather than a mix of HTML and JavaDoc @ tags. This will allow for documentation comments that are easier to write and easier to read in source form.
JEP 466, Class-File API (Second Preview), has been promoted from its JEP Draft 8324965 to Candidate status. This JEP proposes a second round of preview to obtain feedback from the previous round of preview: JEP 457, Class-File API (Preview), to be delivered in the upcoming release of JDK 22. This feature provides an API for parsing, generating, and transforming Java class files. This will initially serve as an internal replacement for ASM, the Java bytecode manipulation and analysis framework, in the JDK with plans to have it opened as a public API. Goetz has characterized ASM as “an old codebase with plenty of legacy baggage” and provided background information on how this draft will evolve and ultimately replace ASM.
JEP 465, String Templates, has been promoted from its JEP Draft 8323333 to Candidate status. This JEP proposes to finalize this feature after two rounds of preview, namely JEP 459, String Templates (Second Preview), to be delivered in the upcoming release of JDK 22, and JEP 430, String Templates (Preview), delivered in JDK 21. This feature enhances the Java programming language with string templates, string literals containing embedded expressions, that are interpreted at runtime where the embedded expressions are evaluated and verified. Further details on JEP 430 may be found in this InfoQ news story.
JEP 401, Null-Restricted Value Object Storage (Preview), formerly known as Primitive Classes (Preview), under the auspices of Project Valhalla, introduces developer-declared primitive classes – special kinds of value classes as defined by the Value Objects API – that define new primitive types.
Paul Sandoz, Java Architect at Oracle, has submitted JEP Draft 8326878, Vector API (Incubator). After seven rounds of incubation that were integrated from JDK 16 through JDK 22, this JEP proposes to re-incubate the API in JDK 23 with no API changes and no substantial implementation changes relative to JDK 22. This feature will introduce an API to “express vector computations that reliably compile at runtime to optimal vector instructions on supported CPU architectures, thus achieving performance superior to equivalent scalar computations.”
Bierman and Archie Cobbs, Founder and CEO at PatientEXP, have introduced JEP Draft 8325803, Flexible Constructor Bodies (Second Preview), a JEP that proposes a second round of preview and a name change to obtain feedback from the previous round of preview, namely JEP 447, Statements before super(…) (Preview), to be delivered in the upcoming release of JDK 22. This feature allows statements that do not reference an instance being created to appear before the this() or super() calls in a constructor; and preserve existing safety and initialization guarantees for constructors. Changes in this JEP include: a treatment of local classes; and a relaxation of the restriction that fields can not be accessed before an explicit constructor invocation to a requirement that fields can not be read before an explicit constructor invocation. Bierman has provided an initial specification of this JEP for the Java community to review and provide feedback.
JEP Draft 8307341, Prepare to Restrict The Use of JNI, proposes to restrict the use of the inherently unsafe Java Native Interface (JNI) in conjunction with the use of restricted methods in the Foreign Function & Memory (FFM) API that is expected to become a final feature in JDK 23. The alignment strategy, starting in JDK 23, will have the Java runtime display warnings about the use of JNI unless an FFM user enables unsafe native access on the command line. It is anticipated that in release after JDK 23, using JNI will throw exceptions instead of warnings.
JEP Draft 8313278, Ahead of Time Compilation for the Java Virtual Machine, proposes to “enhance the Java Virtual Machine with the ability to load Java applications and libraries compiled to native code for faster startup and baseline execution.”
JEP Draft 8312611, Computed Constants (Preview), introduces the concept of computed constants, defined as immutable value holders that are initialized at most once. This offers the performance and safety benefits of final fields, while offering greater flexibility as to the timing of initialization. This feature will debut as a preview API.
JEP Draft 8283227, JDK Source Structure, an informational JEP type, describes the overall layout and structure of the JDK source code and related files in the JDK repository. This JEP proposes to help developers adapt to the source code structure as described in JEP 201, Modular Source Code, delivered in JDK 9.
JEP Draft 8278252, JDK Packaging and Installation Guidelines, an informational JEP, proposed to provide guidelines for creating JDK installers on macOS, Linux and Windows to reduce the risks of collisions among JDK installations by different JDK providers. The intent is to promote a better experience when installing update releases of the JDK by formalizing installation directory names, package names, and other elements of installers that may lead to conflicts.
We anticipate that Oracle will start targeting additional JEPs for JDK 23 very soon.
LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?
It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.
Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:
Apple
The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.
For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.
You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.
Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.
Google
Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.
When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.
You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.
There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.
Facebook and Instagram
Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.
When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.
The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.
You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.
TikTok
The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.
Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.
X
It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.
Passwords
Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?
Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.
But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.
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LONDON (AP) — Britain’s competition watchdog said Thursday it’s opening a formal investigation into Google’s partnership with artificial intelligence startup Anthropic.
The Competition and Markets Authority said it has “sufficient information” to launch an initial probe after it sought input earlier this year on whether the deal would stifle competition.
The CMA has until Dec. 19 to decide whether to approve the deal or escalate its investigation.
“Google is committed to building the most open and innovative AI ecosystem in the world,” the company said. “Anthropic is free to use multiple cloud providers and does, and we don’t demand exclusive tech rights.”
San Francisco-based Anthropic was founded in 2021 by siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei, who previously worked at ChatGPT maker OpenAI. The company has focused on increasing the safety and reliability of AI models. Google reportedly agreed last year to make a multibillion-dollar investment in Anthropic, which has a popular chatbot named Claude.
Anthropic said it’s cooperating with the regulator and will provide “the complete picture about Google’s investment and our commercial collaboration.”
“We are an independent company and none of our strategic partnerships or investor relationships diminish the independence of our corporate governance or our freedom to partner with others,” it said in a statement.
The U.K. regulator has been scrutinizing a raft of AI deals as investment money floods into the industry to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom. Last month it cleared Anthropic’s $4 billion deal with Amazon and it has also signed off on Microsoft’s deals with two other AI startups, Inflection and Mistral.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The tiny Mideast nation of Kuwait has banned the release of the video game “Call of Duty: Black Ops 6,” which features the late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and is set in part in the 1990s Gulf War.
The video game, a first-person shooter, follows CIA operators fighting at times in the United States and also in the Middle East. Game-play trailers for the game show burning oilfields, a painful reminder for Kuwaitis who saw Iraqis set fire to the fields, causing vast ecological and economic damage. Iraqi troops damaged or set fire to over 700 wells.
There also are images of Saddam and Iraq’s old three-star flag in the footage released by developers ahead of the game’s launch. The game’s multiplayer section, a popular feature of the series, includes what appears to be a desert shootout in Kuwait called Scud after the Soviet missiles Saddam fired in the war. Another is called Babylon, after the ancient city in Iraq.
Activision acknowledged in a statement that the game “has not been approved for release in Kuwait,” but did not elaborate.
“All pre-orders in Kuwait will be cancelled and refunded to the original point of purchase,” the company said. “We remain hopeful that local authorities will reconsider, and allow players in Kuwait to enjoy this all-new experience in the Black Ops series.”
Kuwait’s Media Ministry did not respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press over the decision.
“Call of Duty,” which first began in 2003 as a first-person shooter set in World War II, has expanded into an empire worth billions of dollars now owned by Microsoft. But it also has been controversial as its gameplay entered the realm of geopolitics. China and Russia both banned chapters in the franchise. In 2009, an entry in the gaming franchise allowed players to take part in a militant attack at a Russian airport, killing civilians.
But there have been other games recently that won praise for their handling of the Mideast. Ubisoft’s “Assassin’s Creed: Mirage” published last year won praise for its portrayal of Baghdad during the Islamic Golden Age in the 9th century.
