J2se: 6 Update 14

: The -XX:+UseCompressedOops option was introduced to improve the performance of 64-bit JREs on heaps smaller than 32GB. It allows 64-bit JVMs to use 32-bit references, reducing memory footprint and improving cache efficiency.

Java SE 6 Update 14 Release Notes. - Oracle J2Se 6 Update 14

Update 14 was essentially a "feature backport" release. By including G1 and compressed pointers, Sun gave developers a preview of the performance gains coming in Java 7 while maintaining the stable environment of Java 6. - Oracle Update 14 was essentially a "feature

: This feature, which helps identify installed software on a system for support purposes, was extended to the Windows platform (having already been available on Solaris and Linux). Why It Mattered Why It Mattered , released by Sun Microsystems

, released by Sun Microsystems on May 29, 2009, was a landmark update that introduced several highly anticipated performance features and significant JVM improvements. Key Highlights and Performance Features