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macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
63,537
30,847


Apple has updated Java for Mac OS X today with two releases for Mac OS X 10.5 and 10.4:

Java for Mac OS X 10.4, Release 7
Java for Mac OS X 10.4, Release 7 delivers improved reliability and compatibility for Java 2 Platform Standard Edition 5.0 and Java 1.4 on Mac OS X 10.4.11 and later. This release updates J2SE 5.0 to version 1.5.0_16 and Java 1.4 to version 1.4.2_18.

Java for Mac OS X 10.5 Update 2
Java for Mac OS X 10.5 Update 2 delivers improved reliability and compatibility for Java SE 6, J2SE 5.0 and J2SE 1.4.2 on Mac OS X 10.5.4 and later.

The updates are available in your Mac OS X software update.

Article Link
 

Rivix

macrumors 6502a
Oct 13, 2005
527
0
136MB seams kinda large. I'll have to wait until I'm out of school.
 

lowbatteries

macrumors regular
Mar 21, 2008
236
36
Nope

so there is no trace of java in OS X at all?

None of the software that comes pre-installed on OS X uses Java, as far as I am aware. Different pieces of software such as Cyberduck, Azureus, ourTunes, and browser applets like GoToMyPc.com do use it.

Most applications and most websites do not use it.

JavaScript is a separate technology that just has a confusing name. If Java were to die completely today, I would mourn it, but I would be happy to never have to explain the name confusion again. :)
 

javierbds

macrumors regular
Sep 12, 2005
158
0
Madrid, Spain
None of the software that comes pre-installed on OS X uses Java, as far as I am aware. Different pieces of software such as Cyberduck, Azureus, ourTunes, and browser applets like GoToMyPc.com do use it.

Most applications and most websites do not use it.

JavaScript is a separate technology that just has a confusing name. If Java were to die completely today, I would mourn it, but I would be happy to never have to explain the name confusion again. :)

No Java => No WebObjects => No Apple Store => No iTunes ...
I find this Java demeaning strategy curious ... :rolleyes:

JavaScript => Dynamic Web Pages (AJAX ...), very hot right now as a way to have better apps running in (most) browsers (MobileMe ...)
Java => App(let)s in Web Pages, multi platform apps, Server apps ..., many apps that are not targeted exclusively to just one operating system (i.e. OpenOffice), many of them free (take a look at Bluemarine for a good Java photo app http://bluemarine.tidalwave.it/ )

If JS were to die right now, I'll be happy we could all agree on a cleaner scripting language for browsers (and without a fake name) :p

Yep, I´m a (desktop) Java dev and I'm tired of (ranting):
- Hiding the fact that your app is using Java/Swing/SWT
- Convoluted strategies to assure the user has the right JRE
- Being asked by each OS user to use his OS to the fullest when the Java providers make it hard to
- Server Java slowing Java evolution ...
 

sebastianlewis

macrumors regular
Jan 2, 2007
177
0
San Francisco
so there is no trace of java in OS X at all?

Well if you don't count the Java developer tools and documentation that I believe come with Xcode, the Java VM, the JDK, or other Java tools I never noticed (appletviewer being the exception) in the CLI environment, then no, no trace. I heard System Preferences used to be a Java app or something but I've only been on a Mac since 10.4.8 so I dunno about that one.

I guess the average user cannot tell which of his applications are Java ones (if they are good OS X citizens) ...

minor updates remove bugs in Java

Given that the small handful of Java apps I've installed and quickly discarded (well the ones I could discard, my new [online] high school makes use of at least one Java app that was loaded and installed on my computer from my browser) usually advertise that they use Java right on the page, I'd be surprised if people didn't notice which apps do and don't use Java. Apple would probably be better off open sourcing their implementation anyway, I don't really care much for Java, but that seems to be the trend lately and if it meant the community could speed it up on non-servers, I'd be pleased, the community could backport it to Panther and Tiger PPC and x86, it could be removed from default Mac OS X installs, and Apple could dedicate the resources they put behind Java to well, a more worthy cause.

Sebastian
 

GaryMumford

macrumors 6502
Jul 25, 2008
367
699
UK
This has messed things up for me. I use http://www.sky.com (UK) to view satellite TV listings and set remote record. the interface Sky use no longer works. As I have several macs to my disposal I did a test and viewed the site prior to the update and sure enough the update is breaking the Java functionality of the Sky site. If you don't need it... Don't install it!
 

Deniax

macrumors newbie
Sep 25, 2008
10
0
I don't get it, why have the option to use Java 6 for Java Applet Versions for the Web when it can only be used with 64 bit browsers which OSX hasn't?

There is absolutely no way to run web apps that need Java 6 :(
 

rushmere

macrumors 6502
Jul 28, 2006
482
242
New Zealand
This has messed things up for me. I use http://www.sky.com (UK) to view satellite TV listings and set remote record. the interface Sky use no longer works. As I have several macs to my disposal I did a test and viewed the site prior to the update and sure enough the update is breaking the Java functionality of the Sky site. If you don't need it... Don't install it!

The Sky UK TV guide is working fine for me after the update.
 

bigmc6000

macrumors 6502a
May 23, 2006
767
0
The update made my computer sit there and not restart - I left it for like 10 mins and it didn't boot so I just powered off and restarted. Not sure why it did that but it's a little disturbing to have a Java update to that to your computer (1.5GHz 12" PB).
 

iSee

macrumors 68040
Oct 25, 2004
3,539
272
^^^ That is strange.

For me, the update did not even require a reboot, which is what you'd expect for this kind of update. I have OS X 10.5.lastest on an Intel Mac (1st gen MBP). So maybe its a Intel vs. PPC thing or a 10.5 vs. 10.4 thing.

It's possible that something else caused the restart to fail, but you didn't trigger it until you tried to restart as part of the update.
 

Riemann Zeta

macrumors 6502a
Feb 12, 2008
661
0
Java 6 on 10.5 seems like it is absolutely worthless--a completely half-assed (or perhaps even a quarter of an ass) attempt by Apple to claim some modicum of Java compatibility. The reason? As mentioned, it is 64bit only, lacking any ability to interface with 32bit programs. Meaning that it is impossible to use the Java 6 VM to run applets, because there are no pure 64bit browsers. Hence, the Applet VM is epiphenomenal, stuck in 64bit limbo on a primarily 32bit OS that doesn't support it. Why did Apple even bother releasing the Java 6 VM if they aren't allowing it to actually do anything?
 

elppa

macrumors 68040
Nov 26, 2003
3,233
151
NetBeans has tripped over while doing AutoComplete and took everything else with it.

Didn't happen before the update:
 

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surripere

macrumors member
Nov 20, 2007
40
0
Los Angeles
Java 6 on 10.5 seems like it is absolutely worthless--a completely half-assed (or perhaps even a quarter of an ass) attempt by Apple to claim some modicum of Java compatibility. The reason? As mentioned, it is 64bit only, lacking any ability to interface with 32bit programs. Meaning that it is impossible to use the Java 6 VM to run applets, because there are no pure 64bit browsers. Hence, the Applet VM is epiphenomenal, stuck in 64bit limbo on a primarily 32bit OS that doesn't support it. Why did Apple even bother releasing the Java 6 VM if they aren't allowing it to actually do anything?

Quick and off-topic question, begging your indulgence, a thousand pardons, etc: are you one Mr. T. Pynchon?
Ach, die Zetamanie.

Arr. . . back on topic:
H-hey, guys, how about that Java?
 
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