Sun's windows dist strategy for java broken?

General Discussions
#1

My brother is encountering strange problems with running webstart apps, and I noticed he’s running 1.4.2_03, so suggested he upgrade.

But…his java plugin (from control panel) is telling him it’s the latest version (which we all know is not true) and refusing to upgrade. I’ve tried it myself on his computer, and get the same behaviour.

Now, given that 1.4.2_04 contains the new certificates, and that authenticating java apps will not actually run on _03 any more because the certs have expired (as of a few months ago), this means it’s actively ensuring that he can’t run applications.

Is this a bug on just his machine? Either way, I feel like we’re having the rug pulled out from under us (as java devs) when Sun’s own distribution system is so incompetent it is breaking java apps :frowning: and claiming to be the latest version when it manifestly isn’t.

#2

that has happened to me quite a few times actually. from then on, ive never bothered to upgrade from the control panel, if its the RunTime Environment, i just go to java.com, if its the SDK, i uninstall the old one, and reinstall.

Its stupid, and honestly speaking, im starting to like M$, because they provide things that work, sometimes.

#3

[quote]Its stupid, and honestly speaking, im starting to like M$, because they provide things that work, sometimes.
[/quote]
Sure, like Windows Update which disabled the trackpad on my brother’s very popular laptop - M$ is certainly no better… occasionally all the big guys screw up royally like this…