[Jsr308-statements] Are loop annotations within scope?

[Michael Ernst]

Trevor-

> I noticed that the status web page [1] says: "Annotations on blocks  
> and loops are within the scope of JSR 308."
>
> But from the recent talk on the jsr308 list, my understanding is that  
> several individuals, such as Doug Lea, feel that such constructs  
> might not be appropriate for JSR-308.

It is within the scope of the JSR 308 expert group (and more generally the
mailing list) to discuss annotations on blocks and loops, and other places
like statements, expressions, keywords, etc.

However, it is not guaranteed that JSR 308 will, in the end, support
annotations on statements.  If the proposal that this subgroup produces is
sufficiently compelling, then it will be accepted into JSR 308.  If the
proposal seems to bring more cost then benefit, then we will not add it to
the JSR 308 proposal.  It will be good to provide plenty of use cases, a
sensible syntax, and a bytecode format that won't constrain compiler
writers.

It's even possible that we might strike some things from the current
proposal (annotations on multiple levels of an array seems to be the
leading candidate).

I'm sorry this was confusing; does that clear things up?

                    -Mike