Drop Java 7 support for both the API and SDK

[jkwatson]

Let's make the minimum JDK requirement java 8.

[jkwatson]

@AloisReitbauer @Oberon00 @thisthat If we /you can create a fork for dynatrace ASAP, we could get this done before GA.

[Oberon00]

Duplicate of #1543

[jkwatson]

Duplicate of #1543

Disagree. That issue is about making a decision. This issue is about executing that decision. Dynatrace is the only vendor who has interest in Java 7 support at this point, and out-of-band discussion has indicated that you/they would be amenable to maintaining a Java 7 fork of the project.

[trask]

Since Dynatrace is the only vendor that requires Java 7 support in OpenTelemetry, it sounds like creating a Java 7 fork (e.g. https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-java7) with Dynatrace folks as maintainers would be a good way forward from this impasse.

Btw, other vendors are planning to support the small number of customers that are still on Java 7 by using the prior generation of their java agent/tracer, not sure if this is an option for Dynatrace as well?

[danielkhan]

This was a misunderstanding and Dynatrace will not fork, maintain, and support OTel for Java 7 openly.

[Oberon00]

@jkwatson

Duplicate of #1543

Disagree. That issue is about making a decision.

You have a point, but then why is the issue for making the decision still open while we already have an issue for executing a decision? 😉

[jkwatson]

@jkwatson

Duplicate of #1543

Disagree. That issue is about making a decision.

You have a point, but then why is the issue for making the decision still open while we already have an issue for executing a decision? 😉

Honestly, it was to force the decision to happen, and make sure that it didn't get stalled, which it was looking like it was.

[Oberon00]

Why open a new issue though, instead of commenting on the old one?

[jkwatson]

This was a misunderstanding and Dynatrace will not fork, maintain, and support OTel for Java 7 openly.

So, does this mean Dynatrace is ok with us moving to java 8, or not?

[Oberon00]

I commented on #1543.

[AkshayBabbar]

hi want to take it this up how to proceed any suggestions.

[Oberon00]

Hi, PR #1665 "Switch to java 8" was already merged, so I don't think there is any immediate action. I hope that a "Java 8 feature using cleanup" or something like that is done after #1631.

But @jkwatson is the one that should really answer this 😃