The Death of Java (packages)

Who?

Date: 04/26/2021

Why?

This contributor was maintaining approximately 180 Java packages for the Fedora platform. They outlined in their email on the Fedora developer email list that there were a few reasons why they were abandoning these packages. First of all, they weren’t using the packages themselves.

I am not using any of them, I don’t like Java or any other languages targeting the JVM, and don’t get me started on the horrid Java ecosystem.

Coupling that with an increase in hours at work, they didn’t have enough time to take care of all these packages.

Recently I’ve been spending 40-60 hours per week at my desk,

Which finally leads them into feeling guilty about not being able to take care of said packages.

I just don’t have the capacity to feel guilty for not taking care of those packages any longer.

The real nail in the coffin however was the lack of support from the community. They claimed that many of the other developers have not been of much help.

Java package maintainers from Red Hat have been exceptionally unhelpful, and have not substantially contributed to Java packages in Fedora in years.

Only a select few according to the contributor were helpful, and they’re busy or left which lead our contributor to believe there’s real no way for things to get better, and as a result disengaged.

Mat is busy fighting the Eclipse dumpster fire most of the time, and the other two have since both left Red Hat for greener pastures. And since I see no way for the situation to improve, there’s only one honest thing left that I can do: I will orphan all Java packages I am the main admin of, later today.