Bug fixes for Java on OS X

Everyone knows that Mac is safer than Windows because almost all malicious software targets Windows. But every rule has exceptions, and in this case, the exception has been Java.

Java is unusual in that any company can write a Java runtime environment for any operating system. Microsoft, at one point, provided one for Windows, but those days are long gone. ThinkPad laptops still come with a Java runtime developed by IBM. Netscape used to ship its own Java runtime as part of the Navigator Web browser. Today, most Windows users get their Java runtime from Sun Microsystems, the company that originally developed the language.

For whatever reason, Sun does not provide a Java runtime for Macs, instead this is left to Apple.* And, Apple has a history of being slow to fix bugs in Java, trailing Sun by many months.

All this is background to the fact that this week Apple released a large number of bug fixes for Java on Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) and OS X 10.4 (Tiger).

Mac users can go to my Javatester.org Web site to see the version of Java being used by their web browser. Anyone using multiple web browsers needs to check the Java version in each browser separately.

Apple supports three versions/editions/families of Java:

• The oldest family is 1.4.2 and the latest version there is now 1.4.2_18. (The prior buggy version was 1.4.2_16.)

• Next is the 1.5.0 family where the latest go-round is 1.5.0_16. (The prior buggy version was 1.5.0_13.)

• The latest and greatest version of Java for Macs is 1.6.0 and the latest version here is 1.6.0_07. (The prior buggy version was 1.6.0_05.)

*Sun points users to developer.apple.com/java/, a page that hasn't been updated to reflect the latest releases.
See a summary of all my Defensive Computing postings.

[AppleSuxLeo]

OSX is one big bug. Apple needs to call in an army to kill the bugs.

[KonradK]

Huh? As compared to, hmmm, Windows???

Apple is leveraged on open source and Windows is close to 100% proprietary. Given that:

<a href="hhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linus's_Law">given enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow</a>

which OS is bug ridden?

[random truth]

meh loser commenter above

[ralfthedog]

Random, just ignore Leo. He is a big Apple fan who tries to make the Windows fans look bad. It is a dirty tactic that falls well below the standards Apple users should hold them selves to.

Leo, you should be ashamed of your self.

[goodspeed8701]

osx is coming down little by little. that old saying that osx is so safe will die off very soon. there are loads of bugs apple is not telling us about. all you apple fan boys know that.

[Goodbye Helicopter]

Thanks, pretty useful to know about the versions there.
Any ideas as to which versions of the OS have those respective Java versions.?

[man_w_balls]

Funny how Apple-bashers waste so much time nitpicking at every single flaw disclosed in OSX, like each one is a step towards the grave... but nothing could be further from the truth! Mac OS X is growing in all sorts of ways, even some beyond Apple's control (see Psystar, etc). Disclosing bugs means they get fixed - duh! Then the system gets even better. As an IT pro, I work on Windows, and at home I play on Macs - quite a relief to have such a nice system that works so well. Sometimes I try to break my Macs on purpose, just to see what's what.

[The_Decider]

How is Java unusual? Anyone can write an interpreter for Python or Ruby, heck they could write a VM for them, or even for C.