Graham Hamilton's Blog: J2SE 5.0 Update 3: the Third Tiger Cub

Graham Hamilton's Blog: J2SE 5.0 Update 3: the Third Tiger Cub: "J2SE 5.0 Update 3: the Third Tiger Cub
Posted by kgh on April 28, 2005 at 02:00 PM

J2SE 5.0 Update 3 went out today, so I wanted to share a few notes on what is happening with the Tiger update releases. "

This details changes to the Java update process, and the reasoning behind NOT providing all JRE updates to end-users as auto-updates. It also provides a link to info on Tiger (J2SE 5), Mustang(J2SE 6) and Dolphin (J2SE 7).

There is something to be said for not bombarding users with updates too frequently, but equally providing those who require updates with the capabilities to get them as required, but providing developers with 1 version and end-users with another does not make sense to me. There are some inciteful comments on this blog entry - Sun should be simplyfying Java for users and developers - not making it more complex. I can see it now - developer / support dept has downloaded the lates JRE and it fixes an issue they are having - asks user what version they are running - they check - developer instructs user to perform an auto-update - hmmm, nope still have the same old version - ok go and download it ... hmm same old version, hold on I'll email you my copy - you can use that.

Yeah - sure that works - how do I deploy this across the organisation etc... ?

Oh you'll have to download it from here instead - I'll email you the link.

C*O*N*F*U*S*I*O*N

Maybe the JRE doesn't fix the issue - maybe it is something else- but the support guy won't know that .. all he'll know is it was tested under update3/4/5 and it worked - so upgrade.

If it is not an update that is being rolled out to users than don't call it an update - that's what alphas and betas are for - so developers don't have to use them - hell call it a theta if you like but let's make it quite clear that it is not something their users are going to be using.

Come on sort it out.