Java 7: Oracle pushes a first version of closures

The syntax won't win beauty pageants but I like how they retrofitted lambdas onto interfaces so you can do something like:<p><pre><code> Collections.sort(list, (Comparator) #(String a, String b) { return a.compareToIgnoreCase(b); });</code></pre>

Look at what the cat dragged in - a syntax for closures in Java.

I _really_ didn't expect to say I love Oracle. But in hindsight, better productivity for the Java platform is a huge thing for them.

I think waiting for Oracle to do something with Java 7 at this point is like believing Lucy will let you kick the football this time.

Good or bad, I am just happy they are actually doing something. (Wow, that is depressing.)

Good to know that they at least work on it and dont delay it till jdk8. This will be a great addition to the jdk for alternative-language-developers just like MethodHandles allowing them to compete with Java performance-wise.

What's with the "#" sign? Is that new for lambdas, or an existing Java symbol?

None of these closures actually close over any state. Is that feature going to exist, or are these really just C-style function pointers?

now the blob-programmer can create compound blobs out of smaller atomic blobs.