Re: apt and java
Hi list!
Omry Yadan wrote:
So let me state again what I am after:
To provide users with the ability to install most java programs
seamlessly, today.
[e.g. by using Sun's JDKs]
Problem here is, that I'm not sure if the Sun JDKs would reach _most_
debian users. It was already stated, that Debian supports far more
architectures than Sun's JDKs.
However I guess most Dabian users are in fact using the i386 version of
Debian. (Are there any figures about that?) And I guess many of them
would like to use sun JDKs to run Java programs.
[...]
I want to achieve it in a way which still pushes the free runtimes
forward, and does not make them obsolete.
and of course, I want to achieve it in a way which is legal (from sun's
point of view), and that is compatible with the Debian spirit.
Thats the 'what'.
I will not discuss the how yet - I first want some approval for the what
part.
Basicly I'd give you my approval for the 'what':
Though Sun's JDKs are far away from the ideals of free software, they
are a good thing and they widely used for lots of free software
projects. Moreover, as far as I know the Java industry, alternative Java
implementations are rarely used or even known. Probably there are even
more users of sun's JDKs, than of Debian. So it wouldn't be wise, to
facilitate the use of both - Debian and Sun's JDKs - together?
The Problem is, that the 'how' has been discussed a lot already, but
that discussion did not yield any usefull result. If there was a way to
integrate a Sun JDK into Debian it would already be there. So obviously
there is none.
In my oppinion, the workaround provided by java-package is an acceptable
for today. However it is not documented well enough. When I first
used Dabian, I was a bit shocked that Sun's JDK was not included. When I
read the Debian Java FAQ, I found lots of information about why it is
not there, what the alternatives are and which problems those have.
However it did *not* say, that there is an easy way create your own
package from a Sun JDK. Would it be so much against the spirit of Debian
to give more information about Sun JDKs and java-package in that FAQ?
In the long run, it is of course more desirable to provide and support
free implementations of Java. My respect goes to all people involved in
this effort!
Regards,
Michael
[1] http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/debian-java-faq/index.html
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