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0 pointsglowingly3y ago0 comments

For me it's probably Ghidra or Jetbrains IDEA in 2023. Both are desktop, thought I could see the debate on whether or not developers are considered mainstream consumers. I use them on Linux and Windows, so I definitely get value out of their cross platform capabilities.

I use Eclipse-based tools at work (again, I can see the debate). It seems like Samsung's Smarthings (IoT platform) used to use Groovy, but has recently migrated away.

I also know you said desktop, but a weak argument could be made in favor of the (also weak) JVM connections of Android. I'd put forth that some Android usecases are basically former desktop usecases.

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9 comments · 1 top-level

MSFT_Edging3y ago· 8 in thread

Its never fun finding the correct java version to get ghidra going on a new machine. I don't use java often enough to remember versioning differences between the official and openjdk. I never install the right one on the first try, always requires a trip to the ghidra docs.

I must have gone through this 7 or 8 times in the last 5 years.

Its also really rare for a desktop app written in java to look good. I'm sure its possible, but man looking at ghidra is a real pain.

alkonaut3y ago

Don't JetBrains just ship with their JRE and always ignore any "system" JRE? That feels like the correct solution, at least once your app gets to a certain size so the size of the JRE can be ignored. Also JetBrains' apps look good enough I'd say.

Another pretty one with a java frontend is BitWig. That's perhaps more impressive than any JetBrains app.

nottorp3y ago

IntelliJ can have its own dependency hell, don't worry. Not so often but it happens.

Last time I upgraded an old install i wasn't using, it pulled its own JRE, then pulled a new gradle which promptly complained about the JRE Android Studio installed itself.

Had to do some googling and force it to use a JRE that both the IDE and gradle liked.

But as I said, that doesn't happen often. It's just funny when it does, in a masochistic sort of way.

friendzis3y ago

> Its also really rare for a desktop app written in java to look good.

Java/JVM as platform suffers from trying to be all encompassing "second OS". Want to do time, fonts, cacerts? JVM does its own thing. Want to do UIs? Hey, there are widgets from 90s, should be good.

MSFT_Edging3y ago

Looks like crap, but everywhere!

nioj3y ago

They have recently introduced support for UI theming in version 10.3 released last month.

saghm3y ago

I thought openjdk is the "official" version of Java now (besides Java EE)?

jmaker3y ago

Here’s a compilation: https://sdkman.io/jdks

saagarjha3y ago

These days Ghidra usually works fine on any of the last 3-4 Java versions.

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