Those who like to be a part of the beta version of each new version of J2SE can now download the Beta 2 of "Tiger" - a.k.a. J2SE 1.5.

The download is here.

JDJ Advisory Board member Calvin Austin, whose day job at Sun includes being Specification Lead for JSR-176, which defines the J2SE 1.5, wrote, last month:

"Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition (J2SE) version 1.5 ("Tiger") is the next major revision to the Java platform and language; it is currently slated to contain 15 component JSRs with nearly 100 other significant updates developed through the Java Community Process (JCP).

With so many exciting changes in this release, you may be wondering where you should start. As in previous releases, the comprehensive list of all changes is available in the Release notes guide." 

 "The J2SE 1.5 release is focused along certain key themes:

• Ease of Development
• Scalability and Performance
• Monitoring and Manageability
• Desktop Client

There are a small number of features that are just as important but didn't neatly fit in with the themes; they are listed at the end:

• Miscellaneous Features"

 

• Unleashing Tiger
• J2SE 1.5 (Tiger) Available for Review Until January 26
• Java's "Tiger" (J2SE 1.5) - Might There Be a CORBA Comeback?