title: JDBC 4's java.sql.Clob.free() method and backwards compatibility
body: <p>I'm investigating an interesting performance issue, where there are no calls to <a href="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/sql/Clob.html#free%28%29" rel="nofollow"><code>java.sql.Clob.free()</code></a> on a frequently used resource. This method on <code>Clob</code> was introduced in Java 6 / JDBC 4, so it might well be that this is actually a regression introduced when upgrading from JDBC 3 to JDBC 4.</p>
  
  <p>Is this a known issue in the Oracle JDBC driver? Can it be said that before, <code>Clobs</code> somehow magically freed themselves, whereas with JDBC 4, they <em>MUST</em> be freed manually? Or is there a driver setting that can be used to stay compatible with JDBC 3?</p>
  
  <p>Note, the same applies to <code>Blob</code>, of course.</p>