Oracle to phase out much-maligned Java browser plugin

AppleInsider · January 28, 2016 5:38PM

Oracle will soon wind down support for the Java browser plugin, reflecting an evolution in Internet standards and ever-mounting concerns about Web security.

The plugin will be deprecated as of Java Development Kit 9, and ultimately removed from both the JDK and the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) in a future Java SE release, Oracle said in a blog post. The company encouraged developers to start looking for alternatives, including Java Web Start.

The plugin version of Java was once one of the most common vectors for security exploits, particularly since it could be counted on as a way of attacking multiple platforms. That prompted Apple to remove it as an OS X default several years ago, and since then standalone browsers like Chrome and Firefox have started disabling it.

Indeed the Web industry as a whole has been moving away from browser plugins, since once-common ones like Flash and Java have been made redundant. Flash video, for instance, has been supplanted by HTML5, which any modern desktop or mobile browser can run.

Oracle's decision is most likely to cause trouble only for organizations using older software and/or custom applets.

suddenly newton · January 28, 2016 5:45PM

Write once, run nowhere.

maciekskontakt · January 28, 2016 5:45PM

Java Web Start was there in 1998 (I did development for it). Then Java plugin came... so we are back to square one. Reason? None of them are modern, but extension plugins will not go away. All of them need security maintenance. Responsibility only shifts between browser and extensions/plugins.

volcan · January 28, 2016 5:52PM

AppleInsider said:

Oracle's decision is most likely to cause trouble only for organizations using older software and/or custom applets.

Like government. That is about the only place I see it anymore.

thewhitefalcon · January 28, 2016 6:04PM

volcan said:

AppleInsider said:

Oracle's decision is most likely to cause trouble only for organizations using older software and/or custom applets.

Like government. That is about the only place I see it anymore.

Oracle has some BI software that requires OLD plugins, ADP does as well. Like Java 6 Update 23.

techno · January 28, 2016 6:09PM

Finally Java and Flash will be gone!

welshdog · January 28, 2016 6:13PM

volcan said:

AppleInsider said:

Oracle's decision is most likely to cause trouble only for organizations using older software and/or custom applets.

Like government. That is about the only place I see it anymore.

I have tons of things that use Java every day. Will be interesting to see how this shakes out.

Mr_Grey · January 28, 2016 6:19PM

welshdog said:

volcan said:

Like government. That is about the only place I see it anymore.

I have tons of things that use Java every day. Will be interesting to see how this shakes out.

Java, or Java browser plug-in? There is a difference.

I find that it's hard to get rid of Java in the OS because many programs still require it, but I haven't had the Java web plug-in activated or installed for years and years.

nolamacguy · January 28, 2016 6:24PM

volcan said:

AppleInsider said:

Oracle's decision is most likely to cause trouble only for organizations using older software and/or custom applets.

Like government. That is about the only place I see it anymore.

not so. i work for the feds today, we dont use it. previous contract was w/ Shell, they used it (and amusingly, didn't understand it had nothing to do w/ JavaScript in web apps).

and last time i used my bank's check-deposit web app, it required this stupid plugin, which is the only reason i keep it around.

volcan · January 28, 2016 6:29PM

nolamacguy said:

volcan said:

Like government. That is about the only place I see it anymore.

not so. i work for the feds today, we dont use it.

There are zillions of government departments, you couldn't possibly know what they are all doing. I had to install Java plugin 2 days ago to complete a state government corporate license update.

Another example US Navy time.gov

Also Patent office

Many of the pages that are applications that need to be saved and converted to PDF use Java plugin to do it, at least that is where I see it the most.

This US Computer Emergency Readiness Team spells out the proper use of Java on government web pages:

https://www.us-cert.gov/publications/securing-your-web-browser

ireland · January 28, 2016 6:29PM

Great news. I hate this buggy crap. Throw it down the toilet.

douglas bailey · January 28, 2016 6:43PM

Thank God, the Australian Tax Office will finally have to ditch how they do AUSKey (which is required for most/all online quarterly compliance reports for businesses).

sflocal · January 28, 2016 6:53PM

I use some IBM development tools on OS X that (unfortunately) has to use Java. No way around it. I tried to use Oracle's Java because even Apple recommends (i.e. washed their hands of it) that I use the more current, and supported Java plugin. It trashed my system and all my development tools refused to work. It was a complete mess. Oracle also made it painfully difficult to remove it from OSX. Even after I did, I just ended up doing a clean-install of OS X and installing Apple's last-supported Java plugin, which made everything work fine again.

Oracle doesn't care. Their software is crap. Their support is non-existent. It boggles my mind that a company can remain in business with this kind of sloppy quality.

IBM is still a Java shop which is unfortunate. I hope they too wake up and realize Java is (like Flash) a decomposing heap of shit.

Rayz2016 · January 28, 2016 7:17PM

I think IBM is about to become a Swift shop

netrox · January 28, 2016 7:21PM

It's talking about the plugin for the browser. Java is STILL used as an environment to run standalone apps.

polymnia · January 28, 2016 7:29PM

The bane of my creative workflow is Kodak Remote Approval which is a remote color proofing solution. With Kodak in the financial condition it is in, I see them dragging their feet as looooong as possible before jumping to a new platform. Still, they'd never change if they weren't forced to.

Bring be on a web standards-based remote proofing solution!

nolamacguy · January 28, 2016 7:38PM

volcan said:

nolamacguy said:

not so. i work for the feds today, we dont use it.

There are zillions of government departments, you couldn't possibly know what they are all doing. I had to install Java plugin 2 days ago to complete a state government corporate license update.

Another example US Navy time.gov

Also Patent office

Many of the pages that are applications that need to be saved and converted to PDF use Java plugin to do it, at least that is where I see it the most.

This US Computer Emergency Readiness Team spells out the proper use of Java on government web pages:

https://www.us-cert.gov/publications/securing-your-web-browser

i didn't say nowhere in the entire federal government. that was one sentence in a two-sentence paragraph -- the large division i work for doesnt use it, but Shell, a private sector energy corp, does. therefore it is "not so" that the only people that still use it are in the government as claimed. thats the take away you missed.

cnocbui · January 28, 2016 7:55PM

volcan said:

AppleInsider said:

Oracle's decision is most likely to cause trouble only for organizations using older software and/or custom applets.

Like government. That is about the only place I see it anymore.

Definitely. Ireland requires certain classes of taxpayers to submit their tax returns electronically, the whole obscene mess is Java based and reminds me of how software and systems were done in the early 90' last century - bad ones.

If this forces them to make changes and improve, I will cheer, unfortunately I suspect that won't be the case and people will be required to use the no longer supported and rapidly becoming ever more insecure Java for years to come.

kirkc · January 28, 2016 9:08PM

volcan said:

AppleInsider said:

Oracle's decision is most likely to cause trouble only for organizations using older software and/or custom applets.

Like government. That is about the only place I see it anymore.

The patent office is one of those government organizations. As a patent attorney, I have to use the plug-in to access their patent filing/information retrieval systems. They use the plug-ing as part of a digital certificate verification. It's been a thorn in my side for years.

morky · January 28, 2016 9:14PM

welshdog said:

volcan said:

Like government. That is about the only place I see it anymore.

I have tons of things that use Java every day. Will be interesting to see how this shakes out.

So does Oracle. Like their ERP system. Not sure what they intend to do other than go rich Java client or roll their own browser.

volcan · January 28, 2016 9:19PM

morky said:

welshdog said:

I have tons of things that use Java every day. Will be interesting to see how this shakes out.

So does Oracle. Like their ERP system. Not sure what they intend to do other than go rich Java client or roll their own browser.

Java is not supported in Microsoft 10 Edge browser which might have something to do with Oracle's decision.

Oracle to phase out much-maligned Java browser plugin

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