On Friday 20 June 2008 13:10:15 Guillaume Rousse wrote:

> Slashdot announces today than icedtea passes Java Test Compatibility Kit

> http://developers.slashdot.org/developers/08/06/19/1754255.shtml

>

> Can we hope to finally get a sanitized JDK packaging now ? Something

> just called 'java', not 'java-version-foo-codename-bar-vendor-baz', and

> not relying on utterly complex alternative for its setup ? 90% of our

> uses don't have any interest about being able to compile java

> applications with all existing JDK in the world, they just want to be

> able to install and run a working JVM simply.

I'm uncertain whether I agree or not on this one. 'java' is provided by these packages, so ie. 'urpmi java' would install a java vm as user expects.

For several alternatives in distro, I'm uncertain wrt the need for all these or not, and it's not any unique issue as similar cases exists for several different packages in distro with alternatives, but at least one thing is certain, and that is not basing our packages on and keeping in sync with jpackage will increase the maintenance needed a lot..

I think most people would agree on sharing efforts with jpackage is the sensible choice, so any attempts at sanitizing java packaging should take jpackage into consideration (Fedora's lack of consideration is already painful enough)..

--

Regards,

Per Øyvind Karlsen