[gclist] Java finalizers

[Kragen Sitaker]

Fiterman conjectured that the run-once rule in Java was created because
it fell out of the finalization implementation, if I understand correctly.

I seem to remember that early versions of Java allowed finalizers to
run repeatedly, and this was considered a security flaw, because the
finalizers could repeatedly resurrect the object, rendering it
immortal, phoenix-like.

I suspect that this change was made to kill the phoenix objects.

-- 
<kragen@pobox.com>       Kragen Sitaker     <http://www.pobox.com/~kragen/>
According to my medieval text in the seventh century a finalizer raised a
dead object named Gorth who infected every computer in Cappidocia ending
Roman rule in the region.  -- Charles Fiterman on gclist@iecc.com