Updating java on SuSE 9.0 pro to Sun's new J2SE 1.4.2_02

[Willy Kreim]

Hi,

I wanted to update the Java2 SE version on SuSE 9.0 (the bundled one
is 1.4.2) to the latest (1.4.2_02). There have been a number of bugs
fixed by the Sun folks which makes me want to have the "latest"
release. (see http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/ReleaseNotes.html#142_02
)

The install docs from Sun, available at:

http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/install-linux.html#self-extracting

Says:

" Unbundling the software automatically creates a directory called
j2sdk1.4.2_<version>. Note that if you choose to install the Java 2
SDK into system-wide location such as /usr/local, you must first
become root to gain the necessary permissions. If you do not have root
access, simply install the Java 2 SDK into your home directory, or a
subdirectory that you have permission to write to. "

Yeah, very nice. But since I wanted to overwite the java version that
comes with SuSE with this latest update, I looked into /usr/local but
Java is not there.

Can anyone please tell me where is Java stored in the SuSE 9.0 Pro dir
tree?

By the way, two questions come to mind:

#1) Why can't the Sun guys do a "full" installer, that checks where
the current java is stored, and asks the user "do you want to replace
your system's Java version with this release? (Y/N)", and if yes,
proceeds to install java system-wide?????. Do they really think that
having several different java builds (like, every user having a
different backlevel JRE in their home dir) is a realistic (and
desirable) scenario?

#2) Why doesn't SUSE create some KDE and/or gnome module that
auto-checks from the "system tray" the Sun server for java updates and
asks the user to auto-download them, like the Sun JRE offers for the
Windows platform?

#3) Why doesn't SUSE provide RPMs of Sun's latest JRE?

Thanks
Willy

 

[xhcvdbx]

|" Unbundling the software automatically creates a directory called
|j2sdk1.4.2_<version>. Note that if you choose to install the Java 2
|SDK into system-wide location such as /usr/local, you must first
|become root to gain the necessary permissions. If you do not have root
|access, simply install the Java 2 SDK into your home directory, or a
|subdirectory that you have permission to write to. "
|
|Yeah, very nice. But since I wanted to overwite the java version that
|comes with SuSE with this latest update, I looked into /usr/local but
|Java is not there.
|
|Can anyone please tell me where is Java stored in the SuSE 9.0 Pro dir
|tree?

It's very easy, just do these few simple steps:

Unpack Sun's tarball in a suitable directory, e.g. /opt or /usr/local.

Edit /etc/sysconfig/java and set CREATE_JAVALINK to no.

Remove the existing link in /usr/lib/java and create one to the top of
the Sun Java tree, e.g. /usr/lib/java -> /opt/j2sdk1.4.1_02

Logout and in again to make sure /etc/profile.d/alljava.sh is executed.

|By the way, two questions come to mind:
|
|#1) Why can't the Sun guys do a "full" installer, that checks where
|the current java is stored, and asks the user "do you want to replace
|your system's Java version with this release? (Y/N)", and if yes,
|proceeds to install java system-wide?????. Do they really think that
|having several different java builds (like, every user having a
|different backlevel JRE in their home dir) is a realistic (and
|desirable) scenario?

Why should they? There are so many distros out there and each has their
own installation quirks. It's the job of the distros to customise the
Java package by putting a RPM or DEB around it or whatever.

|#2) Why doesn't SUSE create some KDE and/or gnome module that
|auto-checks from the "system tray" the Sun server for java updates and
|asks the user to auto-download them, like the Sun JRE offers for the
|Windows platform?
|
|#3) Why doesn't SUSE provide RPMs of Sun's latest JRE?

Why don't you ask SUSE that?

BTW, you said two questions, I should charge you 50% more now.
--

 

[mjt]

Yeah, very nice. But since I wanted to overwite the java version that
comes with SuSE with this latest update, I looked into /usr/local but
Java is not there.

.... didnt read the suse docs on this? it's documented.

Can anyone please tell me where is Java stored in the SuSE 9.0 Pro dir
tree?

.... (hint)
mtobler@linux:~> set | grep java
JAVA_BINDIR=/usr/lib/java/jre/bin
JAVA_HOME=/usr/lib/java/jre
JAVA_ROOT=/usr/lib/java
JRE_HOME=/usr/lib/java/jre
PATH=...:/usr/lib/java/jre/bin

..... "java" is a link to the appropriate install
tobler@linux:~> ls -al /usr/lib | grep ava
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 12 2003-11-08 08:20 java -> SunJava2-1.4
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 12 2003-11-08 08:20 java2 -> SunJava2-1.4
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 12 2003-11-08 08:20 SunJava2 -> SunJava2-1.4
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 14 2003-11-08 07:23 SunJava2-1.4 -> SunJava2-1.4.2
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 72 2003-11-08 07:23 SunJava2-1.4.2

#1) Why can't the Sun guys do a "full" installer, that checks where
the current java is stored, and asks the user "do you want to replace

..... cause vendors put 'em in different areas.

proceeds to install java system-wide?????. Do they really think that
having several different java builds (like, every user having a
different backlevel JRE in their home dir) is a realistic (and
desirable) scenario?

.... sounds viable to me - i switch java version all the time

#2) Why doesn't SUSE create some KDE and/or gnome module that
auto-checks from the "system tray" the Sun server for java updates and
asks the user to auto-download them, like the Sun JRE offers for the
Windows platform?

.... easier for the user to decide. not every user of suse is
a java developer - you're focusing too much on YOUR needs.

#3) Why doesn't SUSE provide RPMs of Sun's latest JRE?

.... they do, in due time (hint: ftp)
..