Craig White wrote:
Why is the license an issue? The distribution doesn't have to include
everything to work with it.
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I know you are on CentOS list. You know that Sun requires idemnification
from anyone who redistributes their software which is why so few
redistribute their software.
Cooperation would be enough. Redistribution would be even better, but I
suppose the fedora freeloaders aren't going to get that from RedHat.
OK, there's this thing called the internet, where you can get things
from other places - places that are willing to distribute them.
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yeah...why don't you complain to them?
Them? Fedora is the one that ships something that isn't java that
executes when you type 'java'.
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Thus without the 'imitation java' (as you call
it), there wouldn't be a fully functioning OpenOffice.org, and no
Docbook XSL, no Tomcat, no Eclipse, etc.
OK, I could live with those not working until I install a java that
meets the official spec.
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OK - good for you. Are you suggesting that Fedora create a bunch more
Totem type situations?
Is a Totem type situation something where the distribution includes a
link to a legal download that you click and it comes up running? If so,
that would be great.
Are you suggesting that Fedora ship a broken
OpenOffice.org? Are you suggesting that the Eclipse environment not work
out of the box? Are you suggesting that the whole notion of
'pre-requisite' packages go ignored where Java is concerned?
I'm suggesting that calling something java that isn't java is just plain
wrong. These things should either not work until a conforming java is
installed (which should never have been a problem) or they should use
something with a name other than java to do whatever they need if
something sort-of like java to do whatever they are missing.
Besides...I'm certain that you have a skill set that would allow you
completely remove the gcj version and install the Sun version so I fail
to see where you're harmed by the current setup.
I think everyone has been harmed by the difficulty in getting a
conforming java installed - just like they were when Microsoft shipped
something called java that wasn't.
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Thus with your logic, people would logically go to another distro that
either embraces restrictive licensed software or pisses on restrictive
licensing.
How about one that respects both other companies licenses and their own
users? As in making Sun java work when installed?
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Isn't that Sun's job? There isn't a Sun java package available from any
Fedora package/respin/repository that I am aware of.
Sun's java works, but if you install it and type java, something else
will run. That's fedora's fault.
So while it may feel useful to bemoan the 'imitation java' aka, GCJ
version, it provides most of the functionality...and last I checked,
even the Sun Java '64' couldn't run applets.
I'm bemoaning calling it java. If you don't ship a fully conforming
java, don't execute it with the name java. And isn't the 64-bit applet
problem specific to Linux, not java?
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I don't know about Windows 64...it's not very popular you know and I am
not rushing out to get it myself. If Sun's Windows 64 bit version works
properly, it would be one of the few software packages that does.
Does anything work on Windows? I meant Solaris as the comparison.
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Les Mikesell
lesmikesell@xxxxxxxxx
