Difference between valueOf(char []) and copyValueOf(char[])

[Barry Gaunt]

Is there any difference between static String valueOf(char []) and static String copyValueOf(char[])? I have been reading the API description of these two String class methods and I cannot see any difference between them.
Well, it is friday and I'm feeling it!
-Barry

[Ron Newman]

I looked at the source code and I don't see any difference either. Why do both methods exist then?

[Jim Yingst]

Good point. I can't see any reason for this either. Perhaps copyValueOf() was developed first, and they never go around to refactoring it away when they created the valueOf() methods? I suspect it's just an oversight that they're stuck with now for backwards compatibility.

[Barry Gaunt]

Thanks Jim and Ron,
it's a pity Sun doesn't mark those copyValueOf methods as deprecated in this case.
Cheers
-Barry

[Jim Yingst]

I guess being redundant by itself isn't quite enough reason for deprecation.