Optimize Java for the Bifferboard

[rhyvu]

One of the things I have been using my Bifferboard for is running Java
so that I could run some Java applications without having to keep a
computer running. Unfortunately Java uses a lot of RAM and is the
reason why I started to look at adding swap support to the kernel I
was running, because the Java process was always killed when memory
got low. Therefore now in addition to swap I wonder if anyone has any
suggestion as to how Java can be optimized on the Bifferboard?

Also is there a distribution available for the Bifferboard that is
more suitable for running Java on then others?

[Andrew Scheller]

Java is java - there's nothing bifferboard-specific about any of it.
I did a google search for "java linux low memory" and this looks like
it might be useful?
http://java.sun.com/javase/embedded/

If not you'll need to try asking java-enthusiasts rather than
bifferboard-enthusiasts ;)

Lurch

[rhyvu]

> Java is java - there's nothing bifferboard-specific about any of it. I did a google search for "java linux low memory" and this looks like it might be useful?
> http://java.sun.com/javase/embedded/

Thank you for searching, I did so too and came over by the embedded
version of Java also, but it seems like you need to license it and it
is not targeted at x86 embedded systems. So I decided to see what can
be done with the normal JRE on the Bifferboard.

> If not you'll need to try asking java-enthusiasts rather than bifferboard-enthusiasts ;)

This was what I was thinking to do also, but I decided to ask here
first because someone with a Bifferboard might have been through
something similar already (although searching did not give any
results) and could share their experience. This way I could benefit
from their experience and possible continue from where they left of
instead of re-doing the same work, but if I am the first one then I
will continue my investigation and should I learn or find something
useful then I will of course share it here so others can benefit from
my experience with Java on the Bifferboard (that is if it is even
possible to "optimize" Java the way I want to do).

[Domenico]

Maybe you can try:

http://jamvm.sourceforge.net/

with:

http://www.gnu.org/software/classpath/classpath.html

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[Andrew Scheller]

Meant to post this at the time, but forgot... thanks for the reminder
Domenico :)

>> http://java.sun.com/javase/embedded/
> Thank you for searching, I did so too and came over by the embedded
> version of Java also, but it seems like you need to license it and it
> is not targeted at x86 embedded systems.

It *is* available for x86 linux (although it's "java5" not "java6"),
and you don't need to license it for development purposes:
http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/embedded.jsp

I wonder if Bifferboard counts as a "general purpose system" ;)

Lurch

[Christian D.]

Hi,

I read about AOT compilers. Maybe this is useful for your applicaion.

2010/4/29 Andrew Scheller <ya...@loowis.durge.org>

[rhyvu]

Thanks for all replies, I have been through most suggestions now.
Unfortunately it is not very easy dealing with Java SE when it comes
to embedded systems since normally Java ME or JCVM was meant to be
used there. I tried JamVM which did not support the applications I am
interested in (some are closed source and therefore can not be
modified) while Sun's offer is only Java 5 which once more is not
supported by the applications. So I am currently running a normal Java
SE installation although it runs very slow and dies often because of
too little memory.

Regarding the AOT compiler, the only one I know of that is Java 6 SE
compliant is Excelsior JET which I have had good experience with and
even offers a version targeted at embedded systems, but the licensing
price makes it unavailable for my own use. Still I appreciate all
suggestions.