> http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa365247%28v=vs.85%29.aspx#maxpath

I know the link, being native developer and posting it sometimes here and there :-)
But thanks.

> In the Windows API (with some exceptions discussed in the following
> paragraphs), the maximum length for a path is MAX_PATH, which is
> defined as 260 characters.

The main limitation is u no more can use partial relative paths and need to convert them to FQ paths manually, which might be not future-compatible way.

JRE 7 probably does this, as it traverses >260 paths as folder after folder, from disk root to the target file one folder a time rather than just open it directly.