JSE 6 needed for the next major version of the Mac SAPgui

[Former Member]

Apple has a developers' preview version JSE 6, but they don't yet support it. Hence, the Mac version of the Java SAPgui doesn't yet use JSE 6, even though the Java SAPgui on other platforms does use JSE 6. It is likely that by the time of SAP's next major release of the Java SAPgui, Apple will support JSE 6 and the Mac SAPgui will require it.

Currently Apple's implementation of JSE 6 requires a 64-bit Intel processor running Leopard. If this remains true in Apple's final release of JSE 6, then the next major release of the Mac SAPgui won't run on any MacOS X prior to Leopard and won't run on PowerPC or 32-bit Intel based Macs even with Leopard.

I'm told that Sun has both 32-bit and 64-bit JSE 6 JVMs for Windows, for Linux, and for Solaris.

My organization (MIT) has submitted a bug report to Apple about this. It is possible that Apple might pay more attention if a number of their customers made a joint request.

If your organization would be interested in joining such a joint request to Apple to support JSE 6 on (at least) all supported Leopard platforms, please let me know.

Thanks.

/David Rosenberg <rosenberg@mit.edu>

P.S. If you work for Apple and you think you might be able to help with this, please contact me.

/David

[Former Member]

According to Wikipedia, Apple discontinued selling the following PowerPC-based Macs on the following dates:

Mac mini...........February 2006 PowerBook G4.......April 2006 iBook G4...........May 2006 eMac...............July 2006 Power Mac G5.......August 2006

According to Wikipedia, Apple discontinued selling the following 32-bit Intel-based Macs on the following dates:

iMac...............September 2006 MacBook Pro........October 2006 MacBook............November 2006 Mac mini...........August 2007

According to SAP's Support Matrix, the next major version of the SAPgui for Java (7.20) is planned to be released to customers in Q4/2008.

[Former Member]

Apple released the final version of Java SE 6 today.

[Former Member]

Dennis,

Thank you.

According to Apple article 307403 (at <http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=307403>), Java SE 6 is only for Mac OS X v10.5.2 and later 64-bit Intel-based Macs. It cannot run on PowerPC-based or 32-bit Intel-based Macs.

Therefore, it seems very likely that the Mac JavaGui 7.20 (due out in the last quarter of this calendar year) will also only be available for Mac OS X v10.5.2 and later 64-bit Intel-based Macs (not PowerPC-based or 32-bit Intel-based Macs).

If this makes it more likely that you will acquire Windows machines instead of, or to replace, Macs, please let Apple know that.

/David Rosenberg

[Former Member]

Here is the current situation with respect to SAP's Mac JavaGui and

Apple's Java SE 6, as I understand it:

a. The SAPgui for Java 7.20 is planned for the fourth quarter of

calendar 2008.

b. SAP's support for the SAPgui for Java 7.10 is planned to end on

31-Dec-2008.

c. The Mac SAPgui for Java 7.20 will be able to use Java SE 6.

d. SAP has not yet decided whether the Mac SAPgui for Java 7.20 will

also be able to use an earlier version of Java (i.e. J2SE 5.0).

e. Apple's Java SE 6 is only available for Mac OS X 10.5.2 and later

on 64-bit Intel-based Macs (not PowerPC-based or 32-bit Intel-based

Macs). Apple has not mentioned any plans to support Java SE 6 on

any PowerPC-based or 32-bit Intel-based Macs or any Macs running

Tiger, although there is a possibility that Apple might announce

support for some of those platforms at their upcoming Worldwide

Developers Conference (June 9-13, 2008, in San Francisco).

f. Sun has both 32-bit and 64-bit JSE 6 JVMs for Windows, for Linux,

and for Solaris.

g. The last PowerPC-based Macs (Power Mac G5) were sold in August 2006

and the last 32-bit Intel-based Macs (Mac mini) were sold in August

2007.

h. Assuming that the Mac SAPgui for Java 7.20 will require Java SE 6

and Apple doesn't extend their support of Java SE 6 to other

platforms, then as of 1-Jan-2009, you won't be able to run an

SAP-supported version of the Mac SAPgui for Java on PowerPc Macs

bought as recently as August 2006 or 32-bit Intel Macs bought as

recently as August 2007 or on any Macintosh running Tiger.

Best regards,

/David M Rosenberg <rosenberg at mit.edu>