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Java language evolution has switched into a new gear. Java is being released every 6 months, with "preview" features that let everyone test and, supposedly, give feedback on new language ideas.

However, I cannot find how to actually give that feedback! Take as an example JEP 305, "Pattern matching for instanceof" being introduced as a preview feature in Java 14. The JIRA page has no comments. I suppose I could send emails to developer mailing lists, but that seems too heavy-handed.

How can I contribute to the development of Java by submitting my unsolicited 2 cents?

Naman
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Aleksandr Dubinsky
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    Because I just need to get it off my chest, I'll say it here: The "pattern matching for instanceof" proposal is bad, because it introduces new syntax and requires creating a new variable. Creating new variables is bad because it requires thinking of a new, good name--a name that cannot possibly be good because the new variable just clones an existing variable which already has a good name. The alternative is "flow typing" where the type of the original variable automatically changes inside an if. The proposal mentions this approach, but does not explain why it wasn't chosen. – Aleksandr Dubinsky Jan 08 '20 at 09:50
  • Twitter seems to be communication for everything now. Try that :) – amer Jan 08 '20 at 09:56
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    Subscribe to and participate in the [OpenJDK mailing lists](https://openjdk.java.net/guide/mailingLists.html). – Jesper Jan 08 '20 at 10:00
  • @Jesper Sigh, mailing lists are so last century. What would be the best mailing list for discussing JEP 305? – Aleksandr Dubinsky Jan 08 '20 at 10:03
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    "I could send emails to developer mailing lists, that seems too heavy-handed.". Posting a comment on SO sure is more effective... There is a "Discussion" line on the jira page: `Discussion: amber dash dev at openjdk dot java dot net` – jhamon Jan 08 '20 at 10:07
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    If this is about [Project Amber](https://openjdk.java.net/projects/amber/) (as jhamon suggests) then there's a mailing list [amber-spec-comments](https://mail.openjdk.java.net/mailman/listinfo/amber-spec-comments). – Jesper Jan 08 '20 at 10:11
  • There is more explanation as to why they choose pattern matching in [the related document](https://cr.openjdk.java.net/~briangoetz/amber/pattern-match.html). If I understand correctly, pattern matching consolidate flow typing, type switch and other cases into a single, similar construct. – kagmole Jan 08 '20 at 10:33
  • @Jesper amber-spec-comments seems tightly closed. I receive "The email address you supplied is banned from this mailing list." when trying to subscribe. I haven't tried amber-dev, but that seems less appropriate. – Aleksandr Dubinsky Jan 08 '20 at 12:08
  • amber-dev mailing list accepted my request, but it needs to be approved. It really doesn't seem like a place for public feedback. P.S., @jhamon, don't be rude. – Aleksandr Dubinsky Jan 08 '20 at 12:19
  • @AleksandrDubinsky Java is from the last century, too, so mailing lists seem quite appropriate. – TylerH Jan 08 '20 at 15:10
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    I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it's about how jep work – JEY Jan 08 '20 at 16:21

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The JIRA page for the JEP lists which mailing list is appropriate for discussing it (under the "Discussion" field, with the email address slightly obfuscated).

While a mailing list may not be the best, most-scalable way to organize discussion, it is how Java works. The mailing list is open to the public and it's possible to post to it after subscribing. This is the page to subscribe to the mailing list that is used for JEP 305: https://mail.openjdk.java.net/mailman/listinfo/amber-dev

I posted my feedback, and Brian Goetz replied in a few hours. That's more than I hoped for. While I'm not sure it was worth wasting his time, it is how the world's most popular programming language gets developed.

Aleksandr Dubinsky
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