Java I/O 系统

JAVA I/O 系统(中文6000字,英文5000字)
对编程语言的设计者来说，创建一套好的输入输出(I/O)系统，是一项难度极高的任务。
这一点可以从解决方案的数量之多上看出端倪。这个问题难就难在它要面对的可能性太多了。不仅是因为有那么多I/O的源和目地(文件，控制台，网络连接等等)，而且还有很多方法(顺序的『sequential』，随机的『random-SQLServer2000』，缓存的『buffered』，二进制的『binary』，字符方式的『character』，行的『by lines』，字的『by words』，等等)。
Java类库的设计者们用"创建很多类"的办法来解决这个问题。坦率地说Java I/O系统的类实在是太多了，以至于初看起来会把人吓着（但是，具有讽刺意味的是，这种设计实际上是限制了类的爆炸性增长）。此外，Java在1.0版之后又对其I/O类库作了重大的修改，原先是面向byte的，现在又补充了面向Unicode字符的类库。为了提高性能，完善功能，JDK 1.4又加了一个nio(意思是"new I/O"。这个名字会用上很多年)。这么以来，如果你想对JAVA的I/O类库有个全面了解，并且做到运用自如，你就得先学习大量的类。此外，了解I/O类库的演化的历史也是相当重要的。可能你的第一反应是"别拿什么历史来烦我了，告诉我怎么用就可以了！"但问题是，如果你对这段历史一无所知，很快就会被一些有用或是没用的类给搞糊涂了。
本章会介绍JAVA标准类库中的各种I/O类，及其使用方法。
 
The JAVA I/O System
     Creating a good input/output (I/O) system is one of the more difficult tasks for the language designer.
This is evidenced by the number of different approaches. The challenge seems to be in covering all eventualities. Not only are there different sources and sinks of I/O that you want to communicate with (files, the console, network connections, etc.), but you need to talk to them in a wide variety of ways (sequential, random-SQLServer2000, buffered, binary, character, by lines, by words, etc.).
The Java library designers attacked this problem by creating lots of classes. In fact, there are so many classes for Java’s I/O system that it can be intimidating at first (ironically, the Java I/O design actually prevents an explosion of classes). There was also a significant change in the I/O library after Java 1.0, when the original byte-oriented library was supplemented with char-oriented, Unicode-based I/O classes. In JDK 1.4, the nio classes (for “new I/O,” a name we’ll still be using years from now) were added for improved performance and functionality. As a result, there are a fair number of classes to learn before you understand enough of JAVA’s I/O picture that you can use it properly. In addition, it’s rather important to understand the evolution history of the I/O library, even if your first reaction is “don’t bother me with history, just show me how to use it!” The problem is that without the historical perspective, you will rapidly become confused with some of the classes and when you should and shouldn’t use them.