Weekly Links: October 8, 2020

Java

Microsoft Helps Porting Java to ARM for Windows and Mac

Most Windows PCs and all Macs since 2006 run on Intel chips. But our phones and tablets run on ARM chips. For 8 years, Microsoft has tried to run Windows on ARM, too. But the applications still aren’t ready. Soon, at least Java will be: Microsoft is finally porting Java to Windows for ARM, with the help of Azul and others. This will land in Java 16/17 (March/September 2021) and then move back into Java 8/11. This Microsoft port to ARM will also help Macs since Apple moves them all to ARM by 2022. “Microsoft working with Apple to port Java to ARM” — who’d thought this headline possible ten years ago?!

foojay.io Guides You Through the Java Version Jungle

So foojay.io stands for “Friends of OpenJDK”. Yeah, the “DK” part got lost somehow. Anyhow, this new site keeps you informed of all things OpenJDK. But more importantly, its “Almanac” part tells you what’s new in every Java version and lets you compare the APIs of any two Java versions. This goes all the way back to Java 1.0! Listing all command-line arguments for any JDK is the cherry on top. Did you know that Java 15 has 1,800 of those?!

All new Java/JVM features from JDK 8 to 15

Speaking of the Java version jungle: This article is a compact list of new Java/JVM features since Java 8. Here’s hoping that it’ll be updated for Java 16 & 17 next year!

IDEs

IntelliJ Gets Official Remote Pair Programming Plugin

I’m a solo developer these days. So I haven’t had any use for remote pair programming apps like Tuple. Now JetBrains, maker of IDEs like IntelliJ, PyCharm, WebStorm, and others, joins the fray: They released the early access version of “Code With Me”. This plugin allows you to invite another remote developer (or more?) to work with you in your JetBrains IDE. Pricing and release date are TBD. The timing certainly works out for JetBrains — you can’t go wrong with enabling remote pair programming during a “stay at home” pandemic!

Working Together

Spotify CEO on Meetings, Running Big Companies & Sweden vs. the U.S.

If this sentence tickles your fancy, you’re in for a treat: “A great meeting has three key elements: the desired outcome of the meeting is clear ahead of time; the various options are clear, ideally ahead of time; and the roles of the participants are clear at the time.”