Hi there,

It depends (on what Java 1.4 methods, keywords(enum) ...etc.) .... JDK
1.5 should be compatible with most previous 1.4's, but the best way to
find out is if there is any depreciated methods in the 1.4 lib.

You could ask your self these Q's:
- Will the 1.4 lib be updated any time soon?
- Are there any Java 1.5 features you'd want to use?
- Does it compile with out any errors/warnings?
- If it's a commercial lib ... seek answers from there support team.

HTH

There shouldn't be any problems developing and running on 1.5 and using
third-party packages that were compiled with 1.4.  This is for the same reason
as running a program that was written and compiled under 1.4 on a 1.5 platform
is not a problem.

You may have to live with the odd cast, or similar, if the third-party stuff
exposes interfaces which refer to classes (such as java.util.List) that have
since been made generic.

   -- chris

I tend to be rather conservative.  Most of my clients are only now
trying 1.5 projects - one still has build problems that prevent a 1.5
build unless he uses the -source 1.4 directive.

There are test projects running against 1.5 at most of my clients, for
the 'next release' of their apps, but I do not expect to see 1.5
deployed for real for a while.  (Perhaps six months until it is on all
of the desktops, and perhaps six months after that until it is ok to
code against it.)

Amusingly, it appears that we have the last version of Java deployed,
all of the apps tested against it, and code that requires it just about
the time that the new version ships.

Scott

Well if you use Linux, 1.5 is a real drag. There is
an outstanding bug

http://bugs.sun.com/bugdatabase/view_bug.do?bug_id=5039416

where a MousePressed, followed by a non-trivial drag, followed
by a MouseReleased generates a MouseClicked event. Makes
sophisticated GUI programs next to useless.

tm+ sez:

If you're using a Mac, 1.5 has only been available to the great
unwashed for a week or two. Nobody really knows what they b0rked
this time.

Dima