No more hours of compiling! Binary distributions of Java on FreeBSD are finally here. The FreeBSD Foundation today announced the availability of a binary distribution of the Java JDK version 1.3.1 for the widely used FreeBSD operating system.
Wes Peters of the FreeBSD Core Team commented “This announcement hallmarks a new era of Java support for FreeBSD. Having easy to install binary Java packages will ensure that all users can enjoy the benefits of Java technology on the FreeBSD platform.”
This is still good news, however, I’d like for Sun to officially offer binaries.
“This is still good news, however, I’d like for Sun to officially offer binaries.”
I second that…
This is very nice and all. I was very excited about this piece of news until I saw that the Java version in question is 1.3.1… I really hope that native JDK 1.4.x on FreeBSD will reach production quality soon. Oh well, you can’t have everything…
Um, 1.3.1? Huh? What about 1.4.2?
How is this version of Java different from Sun’s? Are they based on the same code base as Sun’s Java runtime, or did they make some extensive modifications?
I think the source for Java 1.4.1 (not sure about 1.4.2) compiles under FreeBSD, so why won’t Sun just let people distribute a compiled version of that?
I think the source for Java 1.4.1 (not sure about 1.4.2) compiles under FreeBSD, so why won’t Sun just let people distribute a compiled version of that?
I think it needs to pass a number of tests from Sun, and at the moment, jdk1.4.1 doesn’t pass them on FreeBSD, but 1.3.1 does.
In order to ship a sun-sanctioned version of java, it has to go through sun’s QA, which is a rather exhaustive list of over 30,000 tests for v1.3
v1.4 added literally hundreds of classes, as well as some rather major natively bound packages. (NewIO comes to mind)
As for sun releasing an official FreeBSD build of their own, they won’t do that until the tree is successfully merged with their own, so I wouldn’t expect them to waste their time on older Java builds when internally they’re busting their rocks on 1.5. My guess is that if the developers could get 1.4 working and synch with the current 1.5 tree (if Sun let them) that it would be possible for a sun release.
Until then, you’ll be downloading as you are now, which isn’t so bad — it’s how the Linux port started iirc.
>> I think the source for Java 1.4.1 (not sure about 1.4.2)
>>compiles under FreeBSD, so why won’t Sun just let people
>>distribute a compiled version of that?
Sun’s implementation of Java 1.4 is closed source, although I believe they have an NDA with Blackdown so that they can create Linux versions.
The hardest part of implementing a Java Runtime is the AWT/Swing. AFAIK there is no complete open source Swing implementation, hence SWT/Eclipse has emerged.
Sun’s implementation of Java 1.4 is closed source, although I believe they have an NDA with Blackdown so that they can create Linux versions.
This is not true. You can get the source at http://www.sun.com/software/communitysource/java2/. In fact, there already is a Java 1.4 JDK based on this source for FreeBSD (see http://www.freshports.org/java/jdk14/), but it cannot be distributed in binary form because of previously mentioned licensing restrictions.
http://wwws.sun.com/software/communitysource/j2se/java2/download.ht…
Source code for J2SE Community Edition. There are a bunch of T’s and C’s, however, this is what the FreeBSD is based on hence the reason why one had to manually download the source then the Linux binary then some patches etc etc.
This is great news. Hopefully we will have less headaches while installing Java on Freebie
.
Wow that only proves to me why I don’t want to run BSD. They just get an antiquated version of Java… that is _really_ sad. Almost as bad as BeOS whose 2nd most popular download (via BeBits) is a network card driver. Way to go guys!!!
The one thing that have kept me from testing FreeBSD was actually the lack of Java support – now it has truely become an alternative to Linux as far as I’m concerned.
Side note: no, I don’t think any of the “free” unices are valid alternatives for the desktop just yet.
Of course you are a troll, but to inform you, it’s perfectly possible to run a newer Java on FreeBSD (jdk 1.4.1). You’ll have to compile it yourself though, it’s not (yet) available as a binary distribution, because of license restrictions. Various people report that jdk 1.4.1 forms an excellent combination on FreeBSD with JBoss.
Given that currently allows people to download the code for Java 1.4.2 and recompile for FreeBSD, why won’t they let people redistribute the binaries?
I know its a license thing, but what’s the logic in that? If they’re going to let people have the source, why not the binaries?
The last time I tried FreeBSD there were some problems with:
Nvidia OpenGL… (solved now)
Java SDK (solved now)
Flash (not that important, maybe next?)
Are there more of these?
>>This is not true. You can get the source at
>>http://www.sun.com/software/communitysource/java2/. In fact,
>>there already is a Java 1.4 JDK based on this source for
>>FreeBSD (see http://www.freshports.org/java/jdk14/), but it
>>cannot be distributed in binary form because of previously
>>mentioned licensing restrictions.
You’re right. The source was there. You can’t distribute any modifications, but you can look at it and build it. Interesting…
The Linux JDKs run in “emulation” (really just syscall translation), so you can have JDK 1.4.2 on FreeBSD with hotspot, etc. The native 1.3.1 does not even have a JIT, so its quite slow. Performance with the Linux JDKs is identical, the only disadvantage is that they require you to load a kernel module and install the Linux shared libraries, which uses RAM/disk space.
Java 1.3 and up removed the JIT compiler for the HotSpot compiler. Unless of course, this has been removed too…
Care meter:
[-|——–]
Troll-o-meter
[———|]
Agreed.
I think that this is awesome news. I’d like to see more apps that run native on Linux, run native on FreeBSD. I don’t understand why Oracle, IBM, Sybase, etc… haven’t proted ther *nix products over to FreeBSD?
FreeBSD is a primarily a server operating system, and consequently the primary importance of Java on FreeBSD would be to use FreeBSD as a Java application server. A few months back I wrote an article on how to configure a system to be just that:
http://www.osnews.com/story.php?news_id=3558
Sun’s seal-of-approval on 1.3.1 means that those who were wary of using FreeBSD for a Java application server need no longer fear.
I know of no JSP applications which require a 1.4 JRE. The only applications which seem to require it explicitly are GUI applications like Eclipse.
That said, I hope to see more Java application servers in the near future.
If Yellowtab wants Zeta to be an actual operating system, with longevity, they might want to ditch the Peer to Peer kid’s stuff and get me a native Java engine for BeOS/Zeta. I know a LOT of Java coders who would LOVE to use BeOS/Zeta for Java coding.
Dope Smoking BeOS Users Rounded Up
http://www.bedoper.com
IIRC, JDK 1.4.1 isn’t stable enough either hence the reason most conservative FreeBSD users I know have stuck with 1.3.1.
FreeBSD is a primarily a server operating system
I don’t really understand why this is so. FreeBSD works nicely (in my experience) with KDE on top. What is the BIG difference between FreeBSD and Linux if you’re running KDE or similiar? Just curious.
What is the BIG difference between FreeBSD and Linux if you’re running KDE or similiar?
Component integration. Most Linux distributions are trying to attain an OS X or Windows-like level of component integration, whereas on FreeBSD attaining the same level of component integration would require considerable amounts of hand tuning.
There’s also issues such as FreeBSD’s higher kernel latency, and on the flipside Linux’s lower throughput.
The main reason is, of course, installed base. Percentage wise many more Linux systems are going to be desktops than FreeBSD systems.
I dont think FreeBSD is mainly a server OS. I used it happily on my Toshiba Notebook to code, watch movies, listen to music, read and write emails and surf the web. So, beside that i also had gnome’s office suite. So when does a Desktop OS become a Desktop OS? I think its pretty useful for a notebooks desktop use.
comrad
Too bad, BSD is now terminal, infected by the Java cancer.
What used to be lean, intelligent OS is now infected with Sun’s moribund technology.
Maybe we can offshore the BSD jobs now. I’m sure Sun would like that.
All BSDs are primarily server operating systems. GNU/Linux is expanding rapidly in the desktop arena and there are many desktop oriented Linux distros but I haven’t seen one decent HOWTO on configuring a BSD for desktop use. Larger user base could bring BSDs better support from hardware manufacturers and big companies like Sun but obviously BSDs like to stick with what they have been traditionally good at.
Read the freeBSD installation manual on freebsd.org. I found configuring FreeBSD easier and with less problems than both gentoo and debian.
Sure, I love FreeBSD, in fact I like it more then Linux in alot of cases, however, I always end up having lots of application crashes in both KDE and GNOME that I just do not get under Linux, for example KATE crashes endlessly when trying to switch between files, so much so that I gave up trying to even use it.. under Redhat 9, I have no such problems.
I’m not saying that apps don’t crash under Linux, not at all, they sure do.. they just seem to happen to me alot more under FBSD.
And yea, the only thing left I want to see on BSD is Flash, that sure would make for better browsing, and when it comes to FBSD being a networking OS, well, it may well be good at it, but it still makes a half way decent desktop.
I’m not very technically inclined, just curious about different things, and it wasn’t at all difficult for me to set up a few FreeBSD desktops I’m very happy with. Browser, CD player, editor/word processor are a couple of clicks away or less.
It’s been a bit more difficult for me to get around in Gentoo, but I’m sure that’s mostly because I have to “unlearn” a few things from FreeBSD.
Yes, one sees a lot of discussion in the mailing lists about subjects of concern to folks running servers, but there is certainly also a great deal of talk about things like de-uglification of browser fonts, enabling Flash, recording CDs, etc.
Its capabilities as a server OS granted, FreeBSD also makes a perfectly nice desktop OS.
I’d say Gentoo offers thorough instructions for setting up desktop
http://www.gentoo.org/main/en/docs.xml
and also Debian has a guide for desktop users
http://cafecomputer.com/guide/users-guide.en.html
but the FreeBSD Handbook appears to be the only web resource to set up a BSD desktop. The Handbook covers the basics but the fine tuning is (at least for me it was) a long process of trial and error. I just thought that it would be nice if someone wrote a specific HOWTO on setting up a working BSD desktop to make life a bit easier for newcomers.
http://www.onlamp.com/pub/ct/15
http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/index.htm…
Breaking News !
Finally BSD will have Java!
oh yes, 1.3.1
well yes, we admit, we are a few years late but… our OS is so great and who needs java 1.4 anyway.
I am sure bascule will be able to give you the exact location, however, in /usr/ports/* there is a port which builds a workstation without any user intervention.
As for the over all kernel responsiveness, IMHO, I found that it was more responsive than Linux under a heavy load when running it as a workstation and yes, I did have dma enabled in Linux.
Hopefully in 5.2, which could be ready by the end of this year will include KSE, however, as for BUSDMA, it is very hard to measure success/failure as many coders submit HUGE patches rather than gradual bits and pieces, meaning, it is hard to give an exact status, however, I have a feeling that FreeBSD want to get as much of the really important parts done, then gradually move forward, for example, in the case of SMP, the kernel can be gradually fine grained with each release.
It’s unfortunate that there are comments out there like this. Overall they server absolutely no purpose other than to show ignorance. I use the operating system that works best for me at the task I have at hand. In many instances I have found that FreeBSD is an excellent choice, it’s stable, organized, and a number of other things that I particularly find useful. This isn’t a bash on any other operating system. But, I hope that readers out there who share the writers sentiment of the comment “BSD users, I feel sorry” would give FreeBSD a chance, you may find that there are *many* desirable things to the system that makes it worth it.
Also, as has been said many times FreeBSD is often used in servers and Server Admins are traditionally conservative in their upgrades. I don’t have a real problem with having Java 1.3.1 as the most recent binary available, it works for my purposes and thus this is a wonderful piece of news. When 1.4.2 finally does become available I’ll be just as happy but I can happily live with 1.3 for now and I’ll enjoy the stability
The Onlamp article cited by Sujan is the one I used for help setting up a desktop when I was starting out.
The two most valuable resources to me in learning about FreeBSD were Google (including Google Groups for FreeBSD mailing list searches – chances are your question has already been asked and answered) and a knowledgeable friend who was kind enough to help out via email from time to time.
BTW, back on topic – the news about a native binary is excellent. My dialup connection at home is limited by rural phone lines to 28.8K, so going through the separate downloads that were required to install from source was the work of days.
I didn’t see this in the previous comments – pardon me if it’s already been mentioned: The native binary is currently incompatible with 5.x; work with the release engineering team to resolve the issue is ongoing.
Hmmm… I may have appeared overly critical in my earlier comments.
In most respects I actually find FreeBSD behaving as well as quality Linux distros and it is certainly better suited for desktop than some distros out there. FreeBSD 4.8 is very stable, very responsive, and it has huge amount of software available – all as up-to-date as in Debian Sid. And in FreeBSD you can choose whether you want to install programs from binary packages or make FreeBSD compile them from sources (through ‘ports’ system) with a single command.
Actually I didn’t meet very many problems in setting up the desktop to my liking, and I’ve already solved the few I had. One example, though: If you have troubles using Gnome’s graphical login screen GDM, check that your system has both user and group called ‘gdm’ and that directory /usr/X11R6/share/gnome/gdm has user rights set to 0750. If these seem to be OK, then you can rename the file ‘gdm.sh.sample’ in directory /usr/X11R6/etc/rc.d into ‘gdm.sh’ and then GDM should work just fine. This, however, is one instance where the Handbook could offer more specific information for newcomers. IMO the whole X section in Handbook should be updated or a specific and more detailed HOWTO on fine tuning the desktop should be added to FreeBSD documentation.
FreeBSD gets along well on my PC with Debian and I also am happy that FreeBSD has got native binary package for Java. 🙂
Will I be able to run 1.0 Javascripts with this version of Java?
Will I be able to run 1.0 Javascripts with this version of Java?
No, Javascript is *not* Java, if you want to run javascripts use a browser that supports Javascript such as Mozilla, this can be run on FreeBSD.
Just to say I was very disappointed the day I realize the “split” function was not support in JDK 1.3.1 … To my opinion the lack of usefull function in 1.3.1 makes it really useless, the day 1.4.x would be available would be the revolution day.
I confirm 1.4.1 compile on FreeBSD 5.0, not tested 1.4.2