Java serialization and .NET?

Quiz: What do you think? Java has a binary serialization format. .NET has J#, which includes the JDK 1.1.4 class libraries, which includes Java serialization. Will it be possible for a Java app running under JDK 1.4 to serialize an object graph to a stream, and then de-serialize that object graph in .NET? We are not talking about angle brackets here, it would be binary serialization.

Does it work?

If it does work, Do I have to restrict myself strictly to J# on the .NET side?

I'll post my answers tomorrow.

Comments

• Anonymous
  December 09, 2004
  The comment has been removed
• Anonymous
  December 09, 2004
  Good question :) I really don't know.
• Anonymous
  December 09, 2004
  Why would Microsoft base J# on such a decrepit set of class libraries? JDK 1.1.4 was released over 7 years ago and went out of service in July of 2001, according to javasoft.com. No developer wanting to use any code constructs remotely current and up-to-date would touch this stuff with a 10 foot pole!!! How does Microsoft expect to entice anyone from the J2SE world to even dabble in .NET with such a legacy implementation of Java in their product?
• Anonymous
  December 09, 2004
  The comment has been removed
• Anonymous
  December 10, 2004
  The comment has been removed
• Anonymous
  December 10, 2004
  This has all been hashed over, 2 years ago, when J# was released, but I'll play along... Look, the primary goal of J# was, and is, and remains, to satisfy existing Microsoft (J++) customers. You can disagree with that, but it is a matter of fact. It's just true. It's what we work on inside Microsoft, it is the #1 metric against which the J# was measured. Will it satisfy J++ developers?
  
  A secondary J# goal is (and was, and remains) to provide Java-language syntax support. So anyone that knows the Java language, can use it.
  
  J# is absolutely not positioned to replace J2EE or J2SE or J2xE, or "entice" developers who use those things. As you clearly pointed out, J# is not really capable, since it has class library support from 1998. !! That said, being able to code in a familiar syntax is nice, sometimes.
  
  Microsoft would like developers to use .NET - no doubt about it. That's why they pay big bucks for .NET marketing people like me ;). That's also why Microsoft publishes articles like the one you cited. I don't think this is shameful or regrettable at all. Conversely, Sun wants people to use J2SE 5.0, and IBM wants devs to use WebSphere. This is called competition. I think it's all good.