Modernize the code base with Vector, Generics and Concurrency

[aaime]

ImageN is written against Java 5 constructs, we need to modernize it. For example:

• [ ] Use List instead of Vector, Map instead of Hashtable, and so on

• [ ] Introduce generics

• [ ] Heavy use of synchronized instead of Java concurrent constructs

  • [ ] ConcurrentOperatorRegistry for replacement strategy as a replacement for ThreadSafeOperationRegistry using home grown lock primitives that should be also removed

Consider: OpenRewrite Java migrations to perform this job (careful about the downstream migration scripts though!). Or IntelliJ ones, too. To be done after we have code coverage.

[jodygarnett]

Meeting discussion update:

• A lot of use of Vector due to to use of JDK ParamterBlock, it is not performance senstive code and and thus is more ugly than impactful.

  ParameterBlock.html (javadoc)