Java glitch hits OS X update

A minor update to Mac OS X is causing headaches for some computer owners, who find their systems no longer work properly when using Java-based applications or visiting certain Web sites.

Apple Computer acknowledged the problem late on Monday and posted a workaround to its Web site.

"After updating to Mac OS X 10.3.9, some systems may have issues with Java applications and Java-enabled websites when using Safari," the Mac maker said in a posting to its support Web site. "Safari may unexpectedly quit, and standalone Java applications may unexpectedly quit or not launch."

An Apple representative said the company plans to keep the update available. As of 5 p.m. Monday, it had not posted information alerting customers to the potential Java problem on the download page for the update. Apple released the OS update on Friday.

Among those hit by the bug were David Geller, CEO of Seattle-based e-mail marketing company WhatCounts, who said it affected both his 15-inch PowerBook and a dual-processor Power Mac G5.

"I found my entire Java development toolset stopped working right after applying 10.3.9," he said in an e-mail interview. Geller said he wondered how such "an egregious error" slipped through Apple's testing.

"I sure hope Tiger is better than this release," he said, referring to the next major update to Mac OS X, which is set to go on sale April 29. "I really want to love this stuff, but (Apple is) testing my patience, especially since I've moved all my developers to OS X."

For those who are affected, Apple said the problem can be fixed by reinstalling two earlier security patches: Java 1.4.2 Update 2 and Security Update 2005-002.

The Cupertino, Calif.-based company also offered up a test that people can do to see if their systems are affected. Customers should open the terminal program and type "java -version" (without quotes) and then hit return, it said. Computers affected by the issue will get the message "Segmentation fault."

problem not affecting all Macs

I have a G4-500 running the new 10.3.9 update and tried the
terminal test described in this article without any problems. It
just returned my Java version as it should. So it apparently
doesn't affect all machines.

[Ron Bischof]

No problem here with AL 15" PowerBook

YMMV.

Ron-Bischofs-G4-PowerBook:~ rbischof$ java -version
java version "1.4.2_05"
Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build
1.4.2_05-141.4)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.4.2-38, mixed mode)

problem not affecting all Macs

I have a G4-500 running the new 10.3.9 update and tried the
terminal test described in this article without any problems. It
just returned my Java version as it should. So it apparently
doesn't affect all machines.

[Ron Bischof]

No problem here with AL 15" PowerBook

YMMV.

Ron-Bischofs-G4-PowerBook:~ rbischof$ java -version
java version "1.4.2_05"
Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build
1.4.2_05-141.4)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.4.2-38, mixed mode)

[liven2]

All good here

My dual G4 tower and my 17 1.5GHZ G$ is all working good,
along with 17 macs at my work all up and running with no
errors. I guess this is a very isolated issue

[liven2]

All good here

My dual G4 tower and my 17 1.5GHZ G$ is all working good,
along with 17 macs at my work all up and running with no
errors. I guess this is a very isolated issue

apple fix broken

Unfortunately, this one hit me (667 TiBook), and it appears that
Apple hasn't even bothered to proofread its own posted fix. The
final step in the fix points to the same URL as the previous step.
In other words, the "Security Update 2005-002" link points to
the Java 1.4.2 update. However, the old security update can be
found under the same directory if you poke around:

<http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/
securityupdate2005002macosx1034orlater.html>

Hope this helps!

apple fix broken

Unfortunately, this one hit me (667 TiBook), and it appears that
Apple hasn't even bothered to proofread its own posted fix. The
final step in the fix points to the same URL as the previous step.
In other words, the "Security Update 2005-002" link points to
the Java 1.4.2 update. However, the old security update can be
found under the same directory if you poke around:

<http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/
securityupdate2005002macosx1034orlater.html>

Hope this helps!

Poor baby

Some spammer is inconvenienced and it's news? Slow news day.

Poor baby

Some spammer is inconvenienced and it's news? Slow news day.

SecureRemoteR56 stopped working

The application SecureRemoteR56 stopped working after
innstalling the update to 10.3.9. Both my macs , iBook and G5 is
affected. Any ideas?

SecureRemoteR56 stopped working

The application SecureRemoteR56 stopped working after
innstalling the update to 10.3.9. Both my macs , iBook and G5 is
affected. Any ideas?

Catch a Tiger by the tail

Conspiracy Theory Du Jour:
Last minute Panther update=>minor glitch=>gotta get Tiger

[shoffmueller]

Not Likely

eom

Catch a Tiger by the tail

Conspiracy Theory Du Jour:
Last minute Panther update=>minor glitch=>gotta get Tiger

[shoffmueller]

Not Likely

eom

Can We not rid ourselves

Of Java altogether? I mean, I don't want to start a flamewar with Java programmers, but it's definately not the greatest language. It's so buggy and slow and unstable. I shudder at the use of Java. Just me personally, maybe it can be useful, but I like my apps in Cocoa. I haven't actually seen if it's affected me yet... It'll get fixed soon I'm sure.

[Kelson]

Sure--have you got an alternative

that will let people write a program once and have it run on Windows, Mac and Linux?

[pcLoadLetter]

Buggy, slow and unstable?

What is the #1 cause of security exploits? Buffer overruns, and what languages let you overrun the buffer? C and C++(not as bad as C though).

Java can be nearly as fast as C++, and it does not have a bloated library, nor is it bogged down in a syntax swamp. C++ is not as fast as assembly can be, so why not write everything in assembly? They same reasons you would not do that are the same reasons why many things are better written in Java.

Unstable? What are you smoking?

There is no 'best language'. All have strengths and weaknesess. IMO, the biggest problem with Java is that you can't easily, nor reliably compile it into a single execcutable. If Sun would add native support for platform specific compilation, I think Java would start to take a decent chunk out of C++.

I like C++ as well, it is a very powerful language. But there is no getting around the fact that it is a jumbled mess and does stupid things like allowing one to overrun an array, even though it knows its size. The standard committee for C++ needs to stop adding to language and clean it up before it collapses into a black hole.

Can We not rid ourselves

Of Java altogether? I mean, I don't want to start a flamewar with Java programmers, but it's definately not the greatest language. It's so buggy and slow and unstable. I shudder at the use of Java. Just me personally, maybe it can be useful, but I like my apps in Cocoa. I haven't actually seen if it's affected me yet... It'll get fixed soon I'm sure.

[Kelson]

Sure--have you got an alternative

that will let people write a program once and have it run on Windows, Mac and Linux?

[pcLoadLetter]

Buggy, slow and unstable?

What is the #1 cause of security exploits? Buffer overruns, and what languages let you overrun the buffer? C and C++(not as bad as C though).

Java can be nearly as fast as C++, and it does not have a bloated library, nor is it bogged down in a syntax swamp. C++ is not as fast as assembly can be, so why not write everything in assembly? They same reasons you would not do that are the same reasons why many things are better written in Java.

Unstable? What are you smoking?

There is no 'best language'. All have strengths and weaknesess. IMO, the biggest problem with Java is that you can't easily, nor reliably compile it into a single execcutable. If Sun would add native support for platform specific compilation, I think Java would start to take a decent chunk out of C++.

I like C++ as well, it is a very powerful language. But there is no getting around the fact that it is a jumbled mess and does stupid things like allowing one to overrun an array, even though it knows its size. The standard committee for C++ needs to stop adding to language and clean it up before it collapses into a black hole.

reinstall java 1.4.2 from Apple's website

I was in a chat room shortly after I installed 10.3.9 and the chat room windows would continually close by themselves and when they started up did not completely work. I went to Apple's website and downloaded the Java 1.4.2 update and that resolved the problem.

reinstall java 1.4.2 from Apple's website

I was in a chat room shortly after I installed 10.3.9 and the chat room windows would continually close by themselves and when they started up did not completely work. I went to Apple's website and downloaded the Java 1.4.2 update and that resolved the problem.

[oo7curtis]

PREVIOUS UPDATES ARE THE "WORK AROUND"

This isn't a "patch" glitch. It looks to me like skipping previous
updates or updating prebinding (a Unix thang) is all this is. This
isn't SP2. It isn't Windoze. It isn't a sloppy patch. If you've been
running software update regularly you likely won't notice
anything.

[oo7curtis]

PREVIOUS UPDATES ARE THE "WORK AROUND"

This isn't a "patch" glitch. It looks to me like skipping previous
updates or updating prebinding (a Unix thang) is all this is. This
isn't SP2. It isn't Windoze. It isn't a sloppy patch. If you've been
running software update regularly you likely won't notice
anything.

[201293546946733175101343322673]

What's New?

Mac is not as bug-free and as secure as PC. People just don't get it.

Oh, or Mac users will blame SUN for that matter, huh? It is never Apple's fault, then :)

[pcLoadLetter]

Clueless

You need to educate yourself instead of of being a rabid fanboy.

As was noted, this is not a patch error or security problem, it is a glitch, and easily fixed.

[201293546946733175101343322673]

What's New?

Mac is not as bug-free and as secure as PC. People just don't get it.

Oh, or Mac users will blame SUN for that matter, huh? It is never Apple's fault, then :)

[pcLoadLetter]

Clueless

You need to educate yourself instead of of being a rabid fanboy.

As was noted, this is not a patch error or security problem, it is a glitch, and easily fixed.