On 02/21/2005 06:11:00 PM, Chris Adams wrote:
I think you are overestimating the importance of Java to the average user.
I also would prefer JPackage handle Java.
Here's why - JPackage is very good at making things available on many distributions. I've already sent e-mails to several developers of Java apps suggesting they package their product in an rpm with the dependencies satisfied by what is in JPackage, so that Linux users can simply add the JPackage repository, and then yum localinstall the rpm - and whatever is needed will just be grabbed. Some developers e-mailed me saying they had not heard of JPackage but they liked what they saw. In many cases this work for several distributions with just a single rpm from the vendor, but if Fedora deviates from JPackage, then install instructions for Fedora would have to be different than instructions for other distro's.
I'm not a Java developer, I honestly don't like GUI Java apps in most cases (it's the interface - not pretty) though I do like a few because they are very good at what they do.
As far as packaging Java, JPackage is very good at what it does - I have never before had such an easy time getting Java applications to just work.
I would rather see support (and I do see it) of RH and Fedora for the JPackage project, and let JPackage handle everything Java. Maybe ship a JVM but not until it can do applets.
Ship with a jpackage.org repo file installed that a user just needs to enable to use.
-- Michael A. Peters http://mpeters.us/
