Today one of the java.lang.* secrets disclosed itself to me (through a willing hand from the maven user list)

Runtime version inspection of packages (provided you have decent manifest.mf files, and do use maven if you don't)

1. http://java.sun.com/products/jdk/1.2/docs/guide/versioning/spec/VersioningSpecification.html#PackageVersioning

2. http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.1/docs/api/java/lang/Package.html

The more you investigate, the more you learn that there is soooo much more to learn... specially about the stuff you thought you already knew all there is to know about...

1:47:18 PM    

Being the local ant-hardcore peep in the company it's probably not the most logical statement to make...

"maven rocks"

Ok, they have some bugs still (and I have to admit I'm comming accross a number of them rather fast, at least faster then expected for something that is said to be quite widely used?) but it largely "Just Works(tm)" and it really releaves a lot of the classical 'have to reinvent wheel' stuff I've been seeing at a lot of places.  The list of offered plugins is really impressive.

As for digging the community spirit it's a bit early of course (I'm a fresh lurker/participant)... still some first round observations: mails on the lists get answered promptly and politely, issuetracking seems to be followed up closely... first impression word would be 'efficient' rather then what I experience over at cocoon which adds 'cozy', 'fun', 'visionary'

I'll just have to stick around some more (surely since I want to actively use each plugin in the pack ;-))

12:05:58 PM    

The option is yours: "Read it, or start practicing on those submarine-onions..."

11:55:14 AM