Java 1.4.2 Update 2 Now Available

[tex210]

Does this fix...

http://www.tvguide.com/listings/

click on a program for a description, and I would just get rolling arrows...
have had to use the excite guide for now... poor me.
actually, just checked, and the description loaded once but didn't update for any other shows picked...
Anyone updated willing to check?

 

[ssamani]

Sun Version Number

Why not 1.4.3?

Why this new "Update #" scheme?

I wasn't convinced that some of the responses were particularly helpful. The Java Version number is driven by the language itself and set by Sun. So that in theory Java 1.4.2 on Mac OS X should be consistent with Java 1.4.2 on Windows, Solaris and Linux. The 1.4.2 represents which specification of the Java language is being used. "Language" in the broadest sense as it also implies a number of libraries and frameworks are included and the version denotes what features those libraries and frameworks should have across all platforms.

Update 1 and 2 are fixes / performance improvements Apple have made to their own implementation of the Java 1.4.2 specification. They avoided calling them 1.4.2.1 and 1.4.2.2 to presumably avoid the suggestion that there were change of language specification from Sun and make clear that it was a purely Apple implementation change, rather than a Java language definition change.

Hope this is a tad more helpful than "Q: Why is it not 1.4.3? A: Because there is no 1.4.3".

Sanj

 

[wrldwzrd89]

I wasn't convinced that some of the responses were particularly helpful. The Java Version number is driven by the language itself and set by Sun. So that in theory Java 1.4.2 on Mac OS X should be consistent with Java 1.4.2 on Windows, Solaris and Linux. The 1.4.2 represents which specification of the Java language is being used. "Language" in the broadest sense as it also implies a number of libraries and frameworks are included and the version denotes what features those libraries and frameworks should have across all platforms.

Update 1 and 2 are fixes / performance improvements Apple have made to their own implementation of the Java 1.4.2 specification. They avoided calling them 1.4.2.1 and 1.4.2.2 to presumably avoid the suggestion that there were change of language specification from Sun and make clear that it was a purely Apple implementation change, rather than a Java language definition change.

Hope this is a tad more helpful than "Q: Why is it not 1.4.3? A: Because there is no 1.4.3".

Sanj

Also, Update 1 and 2 were used because Apple probably doesn't like the Sun way for numbering updates to Java: i.e. first Java 1.4.2, then Java 1.4.2_01 (the first update), then Java 1.4.2_0X (the xth update), then Java 1.X.0 (the next major release).

 

[theadz01]

well i have just installed this update

Safari now won't open, Activity Monitor just bounces up and down and i can't get Disk Utility to open either

any ideas?

 

[wrldwzrd89]

well i have just installed this update

Safari now won't open, Activity Monitor just bounces up and down and i can't get Disk Utility to open either

any ideas?

Activity Monitor and Disk Utility shouldn't have been affected by an update to Java, since they don't use it (at least as far as I know). Usually, these sorts of problems are caused either by corrupt preferences, corrupt caches, or both.

 

[theadz01]

i know - just they all worked fine until i installed this update.

I downloaded the java file off the apple website, but not even the installer file will open. Something is seriously corrupt - and i have no idea? Am i going to have to reinstall OS X? I don't want to!

 

[wrldwzrd89]

i know - just they all worked fine until i installed this update.

I downloaded the java file off the apple website, but not even the installer file will open. Something is seriously corrupt - and i have no idea? Am i going to have to reinstall OS X? I don't want to!

You might want to start a thread on this in Mac OS X 10.3 (Panther) Discussion so others will see it, especially people like me who only check the MacRumors.com news and discussion forum for new articles.

 

[furry]

update price

why does java update have to cost $129
so to get 1.5 will have to shell out too?

i guess, programers have to eat too.

 

[shawnce]

I'm wondering if there is an actual change to the version as far as Java itself is concerned. 10.3.5 brought 1.4.2_03 and update 1 brought 1.4.2_05. Update 2 is probably just bug fixes but hopefully, there is something more.

Before upgrading from 1.4.2 Update 1 the build was "1.4.2_05-141"

After upgrading...
[G5:~] shawnce% java -version
java version "1.4.2_05"
Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.4.2_05-141.3)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.4.2-38, mixed mode)

1.4.2_05 is the latest 1.4.2 release of Java from Sun.

 

[Booga]

The release notes for Update 2 are here:
http://developer.apple.com/releasenotes/Java/Java142RNUpdate2/index.html
seems like a pretty minor release.

All the bugs in Puzzle Pirates still seem to be there, although the game is still playable.

 

[stoid]

Just to add to the Java university discussion. I'm an Interactive Digital Media major concentrating in Computer Science, and have used Java all last year, and I think that it is the main development environment until we use COBOL and whatnot a few classes down the path from where I am. We use Java 1.4.2 and it serves our purpose very well. While it is important for students to remain on the cutting edge, computers are developing so fast that it's practically impossible. As long as Java 1.5 doesn't have any inconsistencies that would not allow it to run code from a 1.4.2 program, I think that it is perfectly acceptable for a university to instruct in something a little shy of cutting edge. The version differences have to be weighed with how different it's going to be anyway when you graduate.

 

[QFace]

Software Update Application

The software update application failed to install the update for me... it couldn't expand and verify it (and I made sure my anti-virus software was disabled). I had to manually download and install it to make it work. Weird.

 

[spud]

i guess, programers have to eat too.

i thought they fixed that problem...

 

[Ryan256]

Serious bugs on Dual 1.8 Ghz G5 (newest revision)

This is the first time I've had trouble with an update. It installed fine on my 1 Ghz 12" PB, but on my dual 1.8 G5 it reset my screen resolution after the initial restart. So I reset it, thinking everything else was normal. But now Safari is extremely buggy--I had to do force a restart by holding the power button for the first time since I've had this machine. Plus, the scroll bars in Safari are the wrong size or simply not moving when I click and drag. I'm no programmer, but to me this screams a problem with java. But the strangest thing yet since installing this update--I went to play UT 2004 and my preferences had been changed! (absolutely not caused by anything else) WTF?
<P>
I can only think of one thing that may have caused this strange reaction to the update--when I first got my G5, I transferred all my old files and settings from my 12" powerbook (running the same version of panther). It worked slick, except for two things: (1) Norton Antivirus was acting goofy, but that was fixed with an uninstall/reinstall, and (2) I have a battery icon in my menu bar of my G5! Does anybody know how to get rid of this?? And are there any other settings that could have been inadvertantly screwed with by doing a transfer from a laptop to a desktop?
<P>
To my knowledge, the " Applications > Utilities > Setup Assistant > Transfer From Another Mac " trick worked great for everything except the Norton Antivirus, battery icon, and possibly a strange reaction to this most recent java update.
<P>
So, can anybody answer how to get rid of the battery icon, and if anything else got messed up??? Thanks!


*** http://folding.stanford.edu *** Team 3446 ***

 

[sethypoo]

I'm wondering if there is an actual change to the version as far as Java itself is concerned. 10.3.5 brought 1.4.2_03 and update 1 brought 1.4.2_05. Update 2 is probably just bug fixes but hopefully, there is something more.

I hope so too.

Downloaded on a 12" PB G4 Rev. A. No problems so far.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

I'm wondering if there is an actual change to the version as far as Java itself is concerned. 10.3.5 brought 1.4.2_03 and update 1 brought 1.4.2_05. Update 2 is probably just bug fixes but hopefully, there is something more.

Looks to me like just bug fixes specific to Mac OS X. Look here, and you'll see that we're still at 1.4.2_05 (like we were when Java 1.4.2 Update 1 was released).

 

[reorx]

Here, here. It looks like apple is trying to obsolete themselve in schools. Many university computer science programming courses use Java now, and many professors like to include Java 1.5 material. It makes sense that students today can study the platform of they'll be using when they graduate. However, if Apple waits till Tiger is released next summer for Java 1.5, I'm going to have to sell my PowerBook just so I can take the class I want to take next semester which will require on Java 1.5.

Either that or I'll have to put Debian or Mandrake on my PowerBook, which really defeats the purpose of having a powerbook. Heck can Java 1.5 even run on Linux/PPC? Anyone know?

Its all fine and great that people are using Java 1.5 features in schools, but most of the *real* app servers out there are no where near willing to use such unproven code in a production environment... Hell, WebSphere 5.0.x is still using Java 1.3.x. Students will quickly learn that the "bleeding edge" of software tools is not where they'll be spending their time once they get out into the real world.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

Its all fine and great that people are using Java 1.5 features in schools, but most of the *real* app servers out there are no where near willing to use such unproven code in a production environment... Hell, WebSphere 5.0.x is still using Java 1.3.x. Students will quickly learn that the "bleeding edge" of software tools is not where they'll be spending their time once they get out into the real world.

I agree. Nobody in their right mind would require a pre-release of Java 1.5 to do work (schools included). Even after Java 1.5 leaves pre-release status and enters full release, it makes sense to wait until the new version is established and available for platforms other than Windows before making it mainstream.

 

[titaniumducky]

This is the first time I've had trouble with an update. It installed fine on my 1 Ghz 12" PB, but on my dual 1.8 G5 it reset my screen resolution after the initial restart. So I reset it, thinking everything else was normal. But now Safari is extremely buggy--I had to do force a restart by holding the power button for the first time since I've had this machine. Plus, the scroll bars in Safari are the wrong size or simply not moving when I click and drag. I'm no programmer, but to me this screams a problem with java. But the strangest thing yet since installing this update--I went to play UT 2004 and my preferences had been changed! (absolutely not caused by anything else) WTF?
<P>
I can only think of one thing that may have caused this strange reaction to the update--when I first got my G5, I transferred all my old files and settings from my 12" powerbook (running the same version of panther). It worked slick, except for two things: (1) Norton Antivirus was acting goofy, but that was fixed with an uninstall/reinstall, and (2) I have a battery icon in my menu bar of my G5! Does anybody know how to get rid of this?? And are there any other settings that could have been inadvertantly screwed with by doing a transfer from a laptop to a desktop?
<P>
To my knowledge, the " Applications > Utilities > Setup Assistant > Transfer From Another Mac " trick worked great for everything except the Norton Antivirus, battery icon, and possibly a strange reaction to this most recent java update.
<P>
So, can anybody answer how to get rid of the battery icon, and if anything else got messed up??? Thanks!


*** http://folding.stanford.edu *** Team 3446 ***

You can remove the battery icon by holding 'Command' (The Apple button) and then drag the icon from the menubar. That's it!

 

[Marble]

My introductory course to Java development at an institution with 40,000 enrolled students teaches using the Java 1.5 specifications. I don't know why at this level backwards-compatibility would ever be a problem anyway, but it's definitely not just a few little schools that are doing it.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

My introductory course to Java development at an institution with 40,000 enrolled students teaches using the Java 1.5 specifications. I don't know why at this level backwards-compatibility would ever be a problem anyway, but it's definitely not just a few little schools that are doing it.

They shouldn't be requiring/using Java 1.5 now - it's dangerous to depend on a pre-release. It's perfectly okay to teach what's coming in Java 1.5, but it's not okay to require students to program in it until it gets established.

 

[bryanc]

There is one popular website in particular that I'd like to use from within Safari, but it requires java 1.5. Aparently many people already have 1.5 on their Windows or Linux machines. Is there any way I can get 1.5 functionality within Safari?

 

[wrldwzrd89]

There is one popular website in particular that I'd like to use from within Safari, but it requires java 1.5. Aparently many people already have 1.5 on their Windows or Linux machines. Is there any way I can get 1.5 functionality within Safari?

That's stupid IMO - they shouldn't be using Java 1.5 now!!!!!
To answer your second question, no - not until Apple releases Java 1.5 for Mac OS X.

 

[broken_keyboard]

There is one popular website in particular that I'd like to use from within Safari, but it requires java 1.5. Aparently many people already have 1.5 on their Windows or Linux machines. Is there any way I can get 1.5 functionality within Safari?

It says JavaScript 1.5 - it's a different thing...

 

[broken_keyboard]

They shouldn't be requiring/using Java 1.5 now - it's dangerous to depend on a pre-release. It's perfectly okay to teach what's coming in Java 1.5, but it's not okay to require students to program in it until it gets established.

I agree. Also when these young developers get out in to the corporate world they are going to be maintaining code bases that go (in some cases I know of) all the way back to 1.1. So by all means teach 1.5 but teach the old stuff too.