Informational JEP proposed for review: 12: Incubating Language and VM Features

[Brian Goetz]

> This proposal also
> touches the JCP Java SE standardization process so I would suggest to
> synchronize with the JCP EC and the corresponding Expert Groups before
> implementing it in order to avoid surprises late in the
> standardization process.
>

Of course, we can and will discuss this in the SE platform EG.  But, let 
me just add now: while the JEP talks about the role of the JCP and the 
SE platform JSR, it does not do so to suggest changes there -- it does 
so *to affirm that there are not changes* there.  The JEP takes pains to 
categorize incubating features as being like other features in almost 
every possible way -- which allows us to build on the existing JCP 
process for vetting and ratifying the specification, and for 
conformance.  This is, in fact, one of the motivations for the "not 
optional" choice -- it means there is a single, complete, well-defined 
specification for what it means to be Java SE N, so the process by which 
that specification is drafted and ratified (and implementations tested 
for conformance) need not change at all.