Java Web Start as Virus

[Roedy Green]

Starting with JDK 1.4.2 Java Web Start gets installed many times. This
provides potential for using out of date copies. Here are places I
have seen it install:

C:\j2sdk\jre\javaws\Java Web Start 1.2.0_03
C:\j2sdk\jre\javaws\
C:\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.2\javaws
C:\Program Files\Java Web Start

This is getting ridiculous. Installing more than one copy just causes
confusion and creates potential for strange errors where you use an
out of date copy alternately with an up to date one.

Ditto for the duplicate JREs in J2SDK and Program Files

 

[Joseph Millar]

Starting with JDK 1.4.2 Java Web Start gets installed many times. This
provides potential for using out of date copies. Here are places I
have seen it install:

C:\j2sdk\jre\javaws\Java Web Start 1.2.0_03
C:\j2sdk\jre\javaws\
C:\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.2\javaws
C:\Program Files\Java Web Start

This is getting ridiculous. Installing more than one copy just causes
confusion and creates potential for strange errors where you use an
out of date copy alternately with an up to date one.

Ditto for the duplicate JREs in J2SDK and Program Files

Amen. Although my experience is not as bad as yours, it's
still mysterious to me why Sun insists on duplicate JRE's
when installing J2SDK. Granted, you can turn off the install
of the 2nd JRE in the Progam Files dir, but it shouldn't
even be there in the first place. I would love to see the
rationale behind this one. Perhaps they have a good reason,
but I sure don't see it.

If you allowed the install to add the 2nd JRE, you can easily
remove it using the Add/Remove Programs icon from the Control
Panel.

As for the javaws stuff, I did not get the Java Web Start
directories that you seem to have. Since javaws is part
of the JRE (no idea why), it gets installed in each place
the JRE does, so I end up with two copies of it, one in
each JRE. I wonder why you ended up with those extra dirs?

--Joe

 

[Roedy Green]

Granted, you can turn off the install
of the 2nd JRE in the Progam Files dir, but it shouldn't
even be there in the first place.

that one does belong there because that is where it will be when you
deploy. The one you don't need in the one is the JDK.

 

[Joseph Millar]

that one does belong there because that is where it will be when you
deploy. The one you don't need in the one is the JDK.

It doesn't matter to me which one they keep and which one
they get rid of, but it would be easier on me the developer
to keep the one in the JDK, that way the JDK and JRE are
together and treated as one unit, especially when I go to
upgrade to a new version. Valid arguments can be made both
ways for which one to retain and which to deep six, I guess.
The real consideration is the duplication of a fairly large
piece of software. Wasteful and unnecessary.

This is only an issue in JDK installations, which only
developers with have, usually. A typical JRE install
only installs into one directory, afaik.

--Joe

 

[xarax]

Starting with JDK 1.4.2 Java Web Start gets installed many times. This
provides potential for using out of date copies. Here are places I
have seen it install:

C:\j2sdk\jre\javaws\Java Web Start 1.2.0_03
C:\j2sdk\jre\javaws\
C:\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.2\javaws
C:\Program Files\Java Web Start

This is getting ridiculous. Installing more than one copy just causes
confusion and creates potential for strange errors where you use an
out of date copy alternately with an up to date one.

Ditto for the duplicate JREs in J2SDK and Program Files

Look at the bottom of the page for an explanation.

http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/install-windows.html