Yeah, you read it well…

Forget about ECMAScript 4 and stuff you may have learned while using language based on its draft ( yeah for instance AS3, Javascript 2.0 ). The ECMAScript 4 has been reject in favor of small changes to ECMAScript 3.1. This has been decided at the Oslo meeting.

Here are the main conclusions( check the post on the mailing list ):

So yeah, goodbye package, goodbye namespace, …
As everyone, I was pleased that Adobe based AS3 on a standard, but now that ECMAScript won’t be, what will happen to AS3?

Adobe plans was to deliver a language based on a standard. So will they drop package, namespace and all ES4 features to meet the ES3.1 requirement and so step back? Or maybe try to find another standard close enought to ECMAScript 4 to base AS4 on? Or just continue developing their ( now ) “own” language?

In any cases, that’s just sad. Sad for all the developer who have invested time into this draft, sad for all the companies that bet on it and sad for user who have learned it…

And ( I didn’t wan’t to put this in my post but can’t help it ) you can probably thanks a big company that has a browser having 80% of the market that insisted they would never support EcmaScript 4

Sources:
https://mail.mozilla.org/pipermail/es4-discuss/2008-August/003400.html
http://ejohn.org/blog/ecmascript-harmony/
http://whydoeseverythingsuck.com/2008/08/ru-roh-adobe-screwed-by-ecmascript.html
http://joshblog.net/2008/08/13/how-will-ecmascript-harmony-affect-actionscript-3/

Update
Here is Adobe answer.
http://blogs.adobe.com/open/2008/08/blog_entry_dated_81408_715_pm.html
They will continue AS3 based on ECMAScript 4 and push it forward.

On one of the mailing list I’m in, someone pointed out this post interesting to read. The author describe what the Next Big Language will be… It really looks like ECMAScript / AS3 …
Be ready

So what is Tamarin?

“The goal of the “Tamarin” project is to implement a high-performance, open source implementation of the ECMAScript 4th edition (ES4) language specification. The Tamarin virtual machine will be used by Mozilla within SpiderMonkey, the core JavaScript engine embedded in Firefox®, and other products based on Mozilla technology. The code will continue to be used by Adobe as part of the ActionScriptâ„¢ Virtual Machine within Adobe® Flash® Player.“

Adobe gave the VM to Mozilla with some developers to work on it.

Some quotes that you could find interesting:

“The Tamarin release will include the following components:

“

“AVM2 supports full runtime error reporting, built-in debugging, and
binary socket support so developers can extend the player to work with any binary protocol. The AVM2 also features a Just In Time (JIT) compiler that translates ActionScript bytecode to native machine code for maximum execution speed.“

“Adobe’s contribution of source code from the ActionScript Virtual Machine to the Tamarin project accelerates the ability of developers to create and deliver richer, more interactive and engaging experiences that work across multiple platforms.“

It’s all good …

Ressources:
Sources Code
Tamarin on Mozilla.org
FAQ on Mozilla.org
Adobe Press release
Tamarin vs Javascript Performance