JEPs proposed to target JDK 9

[mark.reinhold at oracle.com]

The change to disallow the use of "_" as an identifier was approved by
the Lambda EG (JSR 335), approved by the JCP EC, and also approved as
part of the Java SE 8 Platform Specification (JSR 337).  At this point
the bar for revisiting that decision -- never mind reversing it -- is
incredibly high.

The javac compiler has issued warning messages for the use of "_" as
an identifier ever since build 75 of JDK 8 [1], well over a year before
JDK 8 GA.  The message clearly states that "_" may be disallowed in a
future release.  If that warning had sent thousands of developers into
a justified panic then that would, I think, constitute an argument for
revisiting the decision and, for now, delaying this change.  So far as
I know, however, few people have even noticed this warning, and none
has complained.

I understand that you disagreed with the Lambda EG's decision on this
issue at the time.  You haven't brought any new information to bear on
this topic now, however, so I see no reason why JEP 213 should not
proceed in its current form.

- Mark


[1] http://hg.openjdk.java.net/jdk8/jdk8/langtools/rev/2d2b2be57c78