Feedback on proposal for #ReflectiveAccessToNonExportedTypes

[Simon Nash]

Alan Bateman wrote:
> On 09/07/2016 08:46, Simon Nash wrote:
> 
>> I think this a very important point.  If someone wanted to reimplement
>> Java serialization (java.io.ObjectOutputStream, etc.) as an external 
>> library
>> (com.foo.ObjectOutputStream, etc.), the new restrictions on reflective
>> access in JDK 9 would prevent this.
> If there are types in non-exported packages in the serial form then it 
> could be an issue. Some serialization libraries are based on Unsafe and 
> sun.reflect.ReflectionFactory, both "critical internal APIs" that 
> continue to be available via the jdk.unsupported module. More on this in 
> JEP 260 [1].
> 
> -Alan
> 
> [1] http://openjdk.java.net/jeps/260
> 
Is it really a good idea to encourage packages that currently use reflection
to access non-exported private fields (an official part of the Java API) to
change to using internal APIs?  This seems like a step backwards to me.

  Simon