Recently, is has been announced that the release of Java 7 and its reference implementation, JDK 7 has been delayed due to some unforeseen problems with language changes and other things. As such, it has been announced that Closures might just make it to JDK 7 since the time-line has been extended. In keeping with this, I was also wondering if the Swing team would work to push other new and in the works projects into JDK 7 before its release. These include JWebPane, Java Media Components (JMC) and the Swing Application Framework.
JLayer has already made it in, and that is a seriously welcomed addition. However, if another 10 or so months has been added to the release deadline for JDK 7, then I think it would be prudent to get these in. So far, Java 7 is being described by the community as probably one of the poorest releases yet to come, however, I believe JDK 7 stands the chance of being the best release since Java 1.4. The possibilities now presented to Sun/Oracle is enormous. Imagine, if the following would be the line up for the JDK 7 release:
- Language Changes (Closures, Strings In Switch, Null Handling, etc)
- Modularization of the JDK
- Kernel Installation
- General Performance Improvements (improved start up time, better graphics performance)
- Window Transparency and Translucency
- Improved JavaFX support (perhaps Java FX 1.5)
- All New Swing Components (JWebPane, JLayer, JTreeTable, JDatePicker)
- Improved JFileChooser (with native implementation – seems to be in the works)
- Swing Application Framework
- Plus all the other features listed here
If all the above make it to the final release of JDK 7, then it would probably the most exciting time in the history of a Java release. Fingers crossed!
ICED IN CODE 
Side Issue: Do you know if Java 7 will be marketed as a Sun product or an Oracle Product ?
As to whether it will be marketed (or pushed, since it is open sourced) by Sun or Oracle, will depend on how the talks for acquisition go. Looking at the release date of Oct / Nov 2010 means there is a lot of time for the acquisition to take place, which could mean Oracle might be the custodians then. But all we can do is to wait and see if there will be any official information later on.
and jsr 310 .. new date & time api for java
I just recently read about that and the whole JODA Time API that got all this started. I will certainly be looking into using this once it becomes available, although none of my current production code requires any heavy date-time manipulation the is extremely difficult with the current Calendar and Date classes. That said, I guess, a whole lot of legacy code is going to have to be vamped up to meet the JDK 7 date-time specification when it arrives.
There is some form of “Window Transparency and Translucency” starting in Java 6uSomething and a public API in Java 7 too.
The Window Transparency was added in Java 6u10 under the sun.java.awt.AWTUtilities class. It is currently non-public but it will be made public as you mentioned in Java 7 in the official java.awt.Window class. I personally have refrained from using the non-public API in any of my production code since one it changes, I would have to do a bit of refactoring and redeployment, which I do not want to do.
Wondering if JWebpane itself is dead or its developers get retrenched. Totally no news update on JWebpane which is surprising for a strategic component.