prevalence of different JVM versions

[Dawid Michalczyk]

Hi,

I was wondering if there are any stats online on the prevalence of the
different JVMs that regular internet users have installed on their
computers. It is my understanding that Java 1.1 is no longer the most
widely available. Thanks.

 

[kcwong]

I was wondering if there are any stats online on the prevalence of the
different JVMs that regular internet users have installed on their
computers. It is my understanding that Java 1.1 is no longer the most
widely available. Thanks.

Depends on where you look... in corporate environments, they have
those expensive but old servers from Sun, IBM or other vendors. If the
official word is that newer JVMs are not officially supported,
companies will play safe and not upgrade.

But I assume you're talking about normal users... which I have no
data. I *guess* people just use whatever they've already installed,
until they are required to upgrade or they can't use a certain piece
of Java software.

I recommend studying Java Web Start: http://java.sun.com/products/javawebstart/

Quoting the Java Web Start FAQ:
(http://java.sun.com/javase/6/docs/technotes/guides/javaws/
developersguide/faq.html#101)
<quote>
Why should I use Java Web Start?

It's an easy, robust, and secure way to deploy applications directly
from the web. Developers can make applications readily available via
the web. In addition, Java Web Start provides Java runtime environment
(JRE) management capabilities, it's easy to set up, it's browser-
independent, and it's an efficient way to deploy web application
solutions.

Users can easily access applications much as they would a web page--
without a separate installation step. From the desktop, users can
access and use Java applications, using a richer and more responsive
user interface than is available on a web page. And, once a Java Web
Start based application is installed, users simply click to run the
application whenever needed.

Users do not need to manually update applications because each time
they launch an application, it is transparently updated from the web--
so they always use the most recent version available.

<snip>

My application requires a specific version of the JRE. How do I
specify this my JNLP file?

The tag <j2se version="versionNum"> specifies a platform version,
where versionNum is 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, or 1.5.

You can request a specific product version by including a vendor URL
in the href attribute. For Sun's JREs, the URL is http://java.sun.com/products/autodl/j2se
For example, the following J2SE tag will request any Sun 1.3.1
implementation:

<j2se version="1.3.1*" href="http://java.sun.com/products/autodl/j2se"/
You can see all the versions of the installed JREs in the Java tab of
the Java Control Panel.
</quote>

 

[Dawid Michalczyk]

Depends on where you look... in corporate environments, they have
those expensive but old servers from Sun, IBM or other vendors. If the
official word is that newer JVMs are not officially supported,
companies will play safe and not upgrade.

But I assume you're talking about normal users... which I have no
data. I *guess* people just use whatever they've already installed,
until they are required to upgrade or they can't use a certain piece
of Java software.

Well, I'm asking about this because a couple years ago I started writing
an online game in Java 1.1 as that was still the most widely used
version of Java on windows PCs. The game is a hobby project and I work
on it on and off when I have the time. But since some things are much
easier accomplished in Java 1.3 I was wondering if I now could start
using 1.3 features without loosing too much audience.

 

[Lew]

Well, I'm asking about this because a couple years ago I started writing
an online game in Java 1.1 as that was still the most widely used
version of Java on windows PCs. The game is a hobby project and I work
on it on and off when I have the time. But since some things are much
easier accomplished in Java 1.3 I was wondering if I now could start
using 1.3 features without loosing too much audience.

Java 1.3 is obsolete. Sun pulled support for it several months ago. Java 1.4
is in its "End-of-Life" process already, on the road to not being supported in
the next several months or a year. Java 5 is already one version back. The
current version is Java 6, out since last year.

I wouldn't suggest using an unsupported, obsolete platform for a new product.

 

[Roedy Green]

I wouldn't suggest using an unsupported, obsolete platform for a new product.

He still develop with JDK 1.6, just avoid using the recent features.
His code is no less supported than any other.

It is peculiar, most apps now are self-updating. The assumption is
the user has the latest version, and if he does not, the program will
auto-update before continuing.

Sun is perhaps overly willing to support old versions. It holds
everyone back since you dare not use the new features.

 

[=?ISO-8859-1?Q?Arne_Vajh=F8j?=]

Well, I'm asking about this because a couple years ago I started writing
an online game in Java 1.1 as that was still the most widely used
version of Java on windows PCs. The game is a hobby project and I work
on it on and off when I have the time. But since some things are much
easier accomplished in Java 1.3 I was wondering if I now could start
using 1.3 features without loosing too much audience.

It is a mess.

There are:
- old Windows & IE systems with MS Java (version 1.1)
- new Windows & IE with no Java
- new Windows & IE with newer SUN Java (1.5 or 1.6)
- many platforms & FF with newer SUN Java (1.5 or 1.6)

There are no silver bullet.

If the potential users of your applet are computer knowledgeable,
then building for 1.5 and higher and putting a note with a link
to get Java would probably be OK.

Arne

 

[Joshua Cranmer]

It is a mess.

There are:
- old Windows & IE systems with MS Java (version 1.1)
- new Windows & IE with no Java
- new Windows & IE with newer SUN Java (1.5 or 1.6)
- many platforms & FF with newer SUN Java (1.5 or 1.6)

Debian and a few other systems use GCJ by default, which grants you only
1.4 (I think) and no Swing.

If the potential users of your applet are computer knowledgeable, then
building for 1.5 and higher and putting a note with a link to get Java
would probably be OK.

Java 1.3 is definitely a safe bet, only old MS Java uses 1.1; 1.4 you're
probably OK; Java 5 with a note is probably the best way to go.

I would eschew Java 6 at least for now: I would say no more than 60-70%
of computers have it.

 

[Guest]

Debian and a few other systems use GCJ by default, which grants you only
1.4 (I think) and no Swing.

I would ask the gcj users to get SUN/IBM/BEA Java without
blinking.

Arne

 

[Lars Enderin]

Arne Vajhøj skrev:

I would ask the gcj users to get SUN/IBM/BEA Java without
blinking.

"Without blinking" is a scandinavism. You probably mean "without
hesitation" or "I wouldn't hesitate to ask".

 

[Lew]

Arne Vajhøj skrev:

"Without blinking" is a scandinavism. You probably mean "without
hesitation" or "I wouldn't hesitate to ask".

May one assume that you are referring to the translation of the Scandinavian
term into English?

The phrase "[to do something] without blinking" is quite common in the United
States. The Scandinavians don't get to lay exclusive claim to this one.

 

[Lars Enderin]

Lew skrev:

Arne Vajhøj skrev:

"Without blinking" is a scandinavism. You probably mean "without
hesitation" or "I wouldn't hesitate to ask".

May one assume that you are referring to the translation of the
Scandinavian term into English?

The phrase "[to do something] without blinking" is quite common in the
United States. The Scandinavians don't get to lay exclusive claim to
this one.

That was news to me. Maybe it's a Scandinavian influence?

 

[David Zimmerman]

Lew skrev:

Arne Vajhøj skrev:

I would ask the gcj users to get SUN/IBM/BEA Java without
blinking.

"Without blinking" is a scandinavism. You probably mean "without
hesitation" or "I wouldn't hesitate to ask".

May one assume that you are referring to the translation of the
Scandinavian term into English?

The phrase "[to do something] without blinking" is quite common in the
United States. The Scandinavians don't get to lay exclusive claim to
this one.

That was news to me. Maybe it's a Scandinavian influence?

Doesn't it imply "did it with out surprise" in American English? As in
"He didn't blink when his boss told him he had to go to San Jose"

 

[Lew]

Lew skrev:

Arne Vajhøj skrev:
I would ask the gcj users to get SUN/IBM/BEA Java without
blinking.

Lars Enderin wrote:
"Without blinking" is a scandinavism. You probably mean "without
hesitation" or "I wouldn't hesitate to ask".

May one assume that you are referring to the translation of the
Scandinavian term into English?

The phrase "[to do something] without blinking" is quite common in
the United States. The Scandinavians don't get to lay exclusive
claim to this one.

That was news to me. Maybe it's a Scandinavian influence?

Doesn't it imply "did it with out surprise" in American English? As in
"He didn't blink when his boss told him he had to go to San Jose"

I have heard it both that way and the way Arne used it, meaning "without
hesitation". "I'd take that job without blinking!" "I'd recommend that movie
without blinking!"

Lars is likely right about the Scandinavian influence. Major sections of the
U.S. were settled by Scandinavian folk, including parts where I was partly raised.

 

[Roedy Green]

I was wondering if there are any stats online on the prevalence of the
different JVMs that regular internet users have installed on their
computers. It is my understanding that Java 1.1 is no longer the most
widely available. Thanks.

You might collect some stats by offering some popular Applet on your
website, and instrument it to send the IP and Java version being used
to the server. You would need to pick an attribute with that would
appeal to the same audience your final app will. You use the IP do
dedup to help foil brats trying to skew your stats or just from people
addictied to your Applet

 

[John W. Kennedy]

Lew skrev:
Arne Vajhøj skrev:
I would ask the gcj users to get SUN/IBM/BEA Java without
blinking.

Lars Enderin wrote:
"Without blinking" is a scandinavism. You probably mean "without
hesitation" or "I wouldn't hesitate to ask".

May one assume that you are referring to the translation of the
Scandinavian term into English?

The phrase "[to do something] without blinking" is quite common in
the United States. The Scandinavians don't get to lay exclusive
claim to this one.

That was news to me. Maybe it's a Scandinavian influence?

Doesn't it imply "did it with out surprise" in American English? As in
"He didn't blink when his boss told him he had to go to San Jose"

I have heard it both that way and the way Arne used it, meaning "without
hesitation". "I'd take that job without blinking!" "I'd recommend that
movie without blinking!"

Lars is likely right about the Scandinavian influence. Major sections
of the U.S. were settled by Scandinavian folk, including parts where I
was partly raised.

And large parts of England were under Scandinavian rule during the
Anglo-Saxon period.

However, "blink" is etymologiclly related to "blench", so it's as likely
as not to be native.