[quote]There is still something important in my mind that Sun is still missing about the "import" directive, I think it will be very nice if I could write it as following: import java.awt.**; The double star means that it will import every class and every Package [/quote]

this would not work, as the number of classes starting with java* or any other prefix might differ between systems. This will most likely introduce namingconflicts that did not exist on the system of the original developer.

I add all imports explicitly. Do not use * at all. When using date define the whole class path each instance. These rules enhance maintainability. I agree 100% with Bob Corrick.

I might start without importing at all, for example:
java.util.Date someUsefulDate; /* This can also be used to refer to a java.sql.Date - which is a subclass of java.util.Date of course. */
When the code repeats itself (eg needs another date reference), it can import just that class or interface, as Tilman suggests. Sometimes the code may end up with repetition of text such as "import java.util." - but it would be explicit, hence easier to maintain. (Easier to identify and delete those unused imports!)
A class that is having ''namespace issues'' (eg must handle both forms of Date) may benefit from refactoring or splitting, to work at one or another level of abstraction.

Regarding the java.util.Date issue... just add a specific
import for that class, i.e.
import java.util.*;
import java.sql.*;
import java.util.Date;
Now you can say
Date myDate;
and it will resolve to java.util.Date;

Mr. Sibai... pardon my doubt of your sanity, but... are you clinically insane? Have you thought about the logical implications AT ALL?

Consider: import java.util.* and java.sql.* both include a Date class, which requires that the programmer specify java.util.Date instead of Date - every time. That's annoying and suboptimal - and you're asking for EVERY POSSIBLE namespace collision that Java can offer... all in the name of a little bit of convenience so you don't have to bother to, you know, learn Java.

Yuck.

There is still something important in my mind that Sun is still missing about the "import" directive, I think it will be very nice if I could write it as following:
import java.awt.**;
The double star means that it will import every class and every Package located in java.awt, where it is still being written just like the following:
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
not bad for me but it should be exist in the JDK as a powerful programming environment, and consider for the easyness of writing a program:
import java.**;
it is less powerfull I know but its really needed by many programmers.

Dan, consider yourself lucky...
we're still stuck on iplanet 4, jdk 1.2.2 !!!

[sigh] Still stuck on BEA 6.1, JDK 1.3.1...