[Pkg-octave-devel] Bug#742503: octave 3.8.1 requires java
> Control: found -1 3.8.1-1
> Control: notfound -1 3.6.4-4+b2
> Control: severity -1 wishlist
> Control: tags -1 + moreinfo
>
> On Mon, Mar 24, 2014 at 14:30:30 +0000, Leo Butler wrote:
> > Since Octave introduced its java-dependent gui (congrats) in v3.8.1, I
> > have been unable/unwilling to upgrade. I believe that these graphical
> > dependencies should be downgraded to *recommended* and/or a separate
> > octave-nox package--which installs only a terminal version of
> > octave--be provided.
>
> Thanks for your bug report and feedback on octave packaging. The
> request for an octave-nox package is already reported as #741097, you
> might want to read the discussion and comment there. But actually the
> addition of a dependency on java has nothing to do with the GUI.
Thank you, and my apologies, I did not see this bug report. Please
merge this report with that, as I feel the issues and concerns are the
same.
>
> The java dependency is to allow the Octave interpreter to run an
> embedded JVM and interface with java libraries from the interpreter.
> This essentially merges the functionality of the former octave-java
> add-on package into octave itself. This is a feature which makes the
> Octave runtime environment more compatible with Matlab. A hypothetical
> octave-nox terminal-mode package would likely still be dependent on
> java.
I see. I would like to see the gui dependencies repackaged as separate
recommended packages and the java dependency repackaged as an optional
package (i.e. restore the status quo ante vis-a-vis java).
I do not see why the ability to run a jvm from inside Octave should be
considered a core feature of Octave. Certainly, I use Octave in my
work (teaching+research) and have never felt the need to run a jvm
from within octave. Matlab compatibility is an ephemera and JWE
himself has written against it being a goal that drives Octave
development.
Finally, I really dislike java for a whole bunch of reasons, but
mainly because of its bloat, lack of usefulness and slowness. I
generally run Octave on resource-limited hardware.
>
> Can you clarify whether your primary concern is having an Octave
> package that does not have the libraries needed for a GUI which you
> find unnecessary, or is it the inclusion of java for whatever reason?
Both.
Leo
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