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Apple Adds Java SE 6 to Leopard

I had the developer preview of Java 6 installed. After installing the update today, my Java Prefences pane won't show up, Java webstart crashed immediately on startup.

Even the simplest of Java code won't run with Java 6 set as my default version. It was working when Java 6 preview was installed.
 
Couple of questions I hope someone more familiar with Java can answer:

1. In the Java prefs, is you select to use Java SE 6 as default it states "Java 6 is only available in 64-bit capable browsers...... Including Safari"

After a quick search, I can't find any 64-bit browsers available for Mac... doesnt this mean the Java 6 Applet runtime is currently completely useless to all of us?

2. Under Java Application Runtime Settings, shouldnt we change the order of the Java versions to be highest first? I.e. Java SE6 (64-bit), J2SE 5.0 (64bit), J2SE 5.0, J2SE 1.4.2?

3. If so why isn't that done by default?

4. Should it be wiser to just shut up and leave it alone? :D
 
Java 5 vs. Java 6

This release is indeed targeted for professional developers more than hobbyists. While it is true than some professional developers need 1.6, despite all the whining to the contrary, the vast majority of Java developers are still on 1.5, for the following reason: almost anybody who develops enterprise applications is at best using 1.5, since the EJB3 appservers all run on 1.5. And the fact remains Java is #1 because it is number one in enterprise application development.

For those who claim Java applets will run just howdy doody in 1.6. I use a certain payroll company that requires you to run their client side Java app in IE. I foolishly upgraded my Windows to 1.6 and it broke the applet. Fortunately this was in Fusion so I was able to roll back to an earlier version of the VM.

It is for these reasons that Apple wisely decided to keep 1.5 standard and allow the choice of 1.6, which will be mostly used by those developers who need/want 1.6. For 99% of the rest of the Apple computer users, 1.5 is more than fine. Not just for broswer applets, but for full core Java apps: Azureus works great, and I think someone noted 1.6 breaks Azureus.

As for people who claim to be "professional developers" and are still using PowerPC machines, my jaw dropped on that one. If you are being paid to code in Java you are presumably being paid quite well. Your computer is your most important tool, and once you load up eclipse with a gazillion plugins, JBoss, the console log, Firefox and whatever else you need to get the job done, you sure as hell want the fastest computer out there with as much memory as possible. I tend to replace my Mac every two years (giving the older 'puter to one of my greatful kids) since the faster models increase my productivity significantly. Time is money, so I can make up the cost of a new model quite quickly by the improved performance. Hence Apple's decision to forego the minute number of developers on PPCs or 32 bit intel machines, is hardly going to lose Apple any market share. If you can't afford to upgrade your development box, you should be developing on an Asus Eee PC.

Finally for all the whiners who are crying about Apple not having a public road map for Java. Apple doesn't have a public road map for anything. I have tried Windows and Linux for development and Mac OS X wins hands down. I will continue to develop on Apple and enjoy my vastly increased productivity by doing so. If you don't like it, there are alternatives, so go use them and stop whining.
 
northernmunky said:
Couple of questions I hope someone more familiar with Java can answer:

1. In the Java prefs, is you select to use Java SE 6 as default it states "Java 6 is only available in 64-bit capable browsers...... Including Safari"

After a quick search, I can't find any 64-bit browsers available for Mac... doesnt this mean the Java 6 Applet runtime is currently completely useless to all of us?

2. Under Java Application Runtime Settings, shouldnt we change the order of the Java versions to be highest first? I.e. Java SE6 (64-bit), J2SE 5.0 (64bit), J2SE 5.0, J2SE 1.4.2?

3. If so why isn't that done by default?

4. Should it be wiser to just shut up and leave it alone? :D
Click to expand...

For Java Applets, Java 6 will not work with 32-bit browsers. It should work with regular java programs (i.e Neooffice, Azeurus).
 
The most important reason to have Java is to make OS X server a viable platform. Servers are usually more powerful boxes, hence Intel 64 only. Apple probably don't want Java apps on the client.
 
aront54 said:
This release is indeed targeted for professional developers more than hobbyists. While it is true than some professional developers need 1.6, despite all the whining to the contrary, the vast majority of Java developers are still on 1.5, for the following reason: almost anybody who develops enterprise applications is at best using 1.5, since the EJB3 appservers all run on 1.5. And the fact remains Java is #1 because it is number one in enterprise application development.
(MEGA SNIP)
Click to expand...

In that case, you would have both Java 1.5 and Java 6 as well installed to work with both. From what I recall Java 6 has some performance improvements.
 
Both

compuguy1088 said:
In that case, you would have both Java 1.5 and Java 6 as well installed to work with both. From what I recall Java 6 has some performance improvements.
Click to expand...

Which is exactly the option Apple is providing, with the wise move that Java 5 is default. And yes, Java 6 does have performance improvements but as I said that isn't really much use for people using JBoss or Websphere or....
 
Notes...

I haven't gone through everything, but...

[Mjolnir:~/Desktop/JavaVM.framework/Versions/1.6.0/Resources/JavaPluginCocoa.bundle/Contents/MacOS ] nick% file JavaPluginCocoa
JavaPluginCocoa: Mach-O universal binary with 3 architectures
JavaPluginCocoa (for architecture i386): Mach-O bundle i386
JavaPluginCocoa (for architecture ppc7400): Mach-O bundle ppc
JavaPluginCocoa (for architecture x86_64): Mach-O 64-bit bundle x86_64
[Mjolnir:~/Desktop/JavaVM.framework/Versions/1.6.0/Resources/JavaPluginCocoa.bundle/Contents/MacOS ] nick% cd /Users/nick/Desktop/JavaVM.framework/Versions/A
[Mjolnir:~/Desktop/JavaVM.framework/Versions/A ] nick% file JavaVM
JavaVM: Mach-O universal binary with 4 architectures
JavaVM (for architecture ppc7400): Mach-O dynamically linked shared library ppc
JavaVM (for architecture ppc64): Mach-O 64-bit dynamically linked shared library ppc64
JavaVM (for architecture i386): Mach-O dynamically linked shared library i386
JavaVM (for architecture x86_64): Mach-O 64-bit dynamically linked shared library x86_64


(I extracted everything to my desktop with Pacifist and went through the major binaries). They're still fat binaries. Haven't checked if they can run yet, but really... common Apple.

Yea, the java command is still x86_64, but the rest of the installable stuff still seems to be fat.
 
aront54 said:
Finally for all the whiners who are crying about Apple not having a public road map for Java. Apple doesn't have a public road map for anything.
Click to expand...

iPhone API? Apple seemed to be very public about it being released in june.

I have tried Windows and Linux for development and Mac OS X wins hands down. I will continue to develop on Apple and enjoy my vastly increased productivity by doing so. If you don't like it, there are alternatives, so go use them and stop whining.
Click to expand...

OK, Windows is painful, but what are the benefits of OS X over Linux, when it comes to Java development?
 
aront54 said:
This release is indeed targeted for professional developers more than hobbyists. While it is true than some professional developers need 1.6, despite all the whining to the contrary, the vast majority of Java developers are still on 1.5, for the following reason: almost anybody who develops enterprise applications is at best using 1.5, since the EJB3 appservers all run on 1.5. And the fact remains Java is #1 because it is number one in enterprise application development.
Click to expand...

Not sure where you've been, but I've been using Java 6 for well over a year now at work and home. The performance is solid, built in debug tools are strong (jmap/jhat) and if you deploy Swing apps on Vista, you really want to be using Java 6. The Windows impl of Java 6 has a new, more native way of rendering Swing widgets. In this process I also naturally started using some 1.6 specific API's. This is when I stopped supporting OS X as a deployment platform.

While it is true that some monolithic companies may be stuck at Java 1.4.2, there are plenty of smaller companies that have been consuming the latest and greatest for quite some time.

P.S. As soon as Java 6 update N comes out, I'll be switching to it. I plan on ditching JGoodies L&F on my non-Windows deployment platforms and switching to Nimbus.
 
This is actually small update as 1.6.0_04 has been out for a while for developers, though it's much anticipated for my team. Hopefully the JAX-WS utilities are working now. I had to open a linux vm just to use wsimport.

e7e said:
sorry for this stupid question, but how can i add this to eclipse?
Click to expand...

Open Eclipse, Preferences. Under Java, click on Installed JREs. Click add and enter:
JRE type: MacOS X VM
JRE name: JVM 1.6
JRE home directory: /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/1.6/Home
Click OK
Select desired JRE
Enjoy
 
pjarvi said:
I thought Leopard was supposed to let you run all 64 bit software on a 32 bit cpu? I distinctly remember Steve-o making a big hoopla about that during a conference.
Click to expand...

You must have heard wrong.

64bit programs have to run on a 64bit kernel (OS)... which in turn requires the underlying hardware architecture to be 64bit.

/dale
 
Did anyone else get an error when installing?

Said it couldn't be verified and I tried installing again and it was just still at "configuring installation"

Downloading it from Apple.com now....
 
Sell your Yonahs now, before people realize...

AnthonyKinyon said:
Original posting said: "The update requires Mac OS X 10.5.2 or later, and a 64-bit Intel-based Mac. "

Sounds like a decent update but how come there's no 32-bit version for early Intel Mac Mini machines...
Click to expand...

Because Apple wants you to buy new machines, of course :p .

Apple's just put the 32-bit Yonah systems into the PowerPC "deprecated" heap, no longer supported with new stuff.

People attacked me when I predicted this would happen....
 
AidenShaw said:
Because Apple wants you to buy new machines, of course :p .

Apple's just put the 32-bit Yonah systems into the PowerPC "deprecated" heap, no longer supported with new stuff.

People attacked me when I predicted this would happen....
Click to expand...

It is pretty sad that the core processors did not have x64 bit support. If I recall, AMD had that capability in there Desktop and Mobile processors (even some semparons).

liberty4all said:
Java 1.6 for other Macs, see:
http://landonf.bikemonkey.org/static/soylatte/
Click to expand...

Already been posted....it has the limitation of not having SWING...only X11 support, otherwise it is perfectly working Java.
 
AnthonyKinyon said:
Anything Core 2 Duo or above is 64-bit Intel (IA64).

Anything Core Duo is 32-bit Intel (IA32/x86).

Anything Gx (G5, G4 G3) is PowerPC (PPC).

You can check by going to the Apple Logo at the top left and clicking "About This Mac" to see what you've got.
Click to expand...

Small correction in the nomenclature. IA64 is used for the Itanium Architecture, not the x86 based 64-bit architecture. In fact, the 64-bit extension for the x86 architecture was created by AMD. That is what Intel is using now. IA64 is an entirely different architecture that intel created along with HP for the itanium which did not have much success.
 
Dang, I'm developing in Java on my Macbook and it's a Core (1) Duo (32 bit). :mad:
"SE" stands for standard edition, right? I know "ME" is mobile and "CE" is corporate edition.
 
At last, I have the reason that stopped me from buying Leopard removed ...
And to those that say Java is only for server, and that only Java 5 is important ... Recheck the Java desktop space ... If you think Cocoa is not going to follow the Java 6 path (bye (non-G5) PCC, bye 32-bit for new APIs) get ready for more surprises ...

One can understand 32-bit being left behind, but many early Intel adopters are going to be pissed ...
 
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