Is it true that Java Is a Language for the Masses. The discussion on LtU is interesting, as usual. I prefer the gradual and slow addition of features to Java and I'm not sure I'd support macros. On the other hand, we do generate a lot of code at work using our own XSL/XSLT templates, and that is, to some extent a macro replacement, though I find it easier to deal with. Both approaches introduce project specific notations, with the XSL approach though the final result is still java that anyone could read. Macros provide the danger/opportunity of producing a different language. This is something the java metadata JSR is quite specific about. They don't want people writing new control statements using metadata because of the danger of language fragmentation that would arise. Something similar happened with JSP taglibs and the new standard taglibs are an attempt to bring things back together again.