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Comment by topspin | Hacker News Reader

> Are there others?

String Literals (JEP 326) made it to preview and got pulled.

> I don't think that's an extreme point of view, frankly.

Can't see where I suggested otherwise. I just wondered how the author was handling all the "in-flight" (An OpenJDK term there, not mine) features that Java currently has outstanding.

> It's moving VERY fast, and has been for some time.

They've been fast at creating new preview features. Actually landing finalized features though? In my view they're taking too long. When I compare Java and Python in this respect -- and I do as a working programmer in both on a frequent basis -- Java is still slow.

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> When I compare Java and Python in this respect -- and I do as a working programmer in both on a frequent basis -- Java is still slow.

I feel this as well, but I also think it's desirable. Java is slower to add features because the bar is quite a bit higher (especially with regard to backwards-compatibility).

I'd much rather have long previews and occasional removal of previews than have a language that becomes bloated and kneecapped by past rushed decisions.

There's Kotlin, Scala, Groovy, etc, if you want to run on the JVM with languages that offer more features (and footguns). I find the balance OK, personally.

I'd much rather them pull the `STR.` templates than push it forward knowing its not ergonomic in practice.

String Literals have been superseded by Text Blocks though, so it’s only “got pulled” as a technicality, Text Blocks are stable parts of the language now forever. I believe something similar will happen with string templates.

Also, Java has gotten an insane number of new, significant features in the last couple of years — loom, algebraic data types, pattern matching, ZGC.. I don’t want to disrespect Python, but I really don’t think they have done anything to this degree.

Unfortunately I think we're currently in a state where all resources are going towards project Valhalla. Everything seems to be on hold until they get that out the door.

Valhalla is badly needed as well. That effort is 10 years old now.

10 years.

I agree its desperately needed. But we also desperately need investment in the language itself (not just the runtime).

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