Why is Apple still updating Java 1.6?

That's because Mac is no longer supporting Java. All the latest update does is disable the plug-in and remove Java Preferences.app from your Utilities folder.

If you use Java Download Java for Mac OS Xhere.

About Java for OS X 2012-006 (Article: HT5493)

http://www.reedcorner.net/apple-releases-another-java-update/

WELL, "IF YOU USE JAVA" IS NOT REALLY A "GOOD" STATEMENT. I think what he/she (macjack) meant was probably to say is "if you are a developer and use Java" then use the link provided.

For non-developers it's best to leave it "deactivated" (which the Apple update will do) and only "activate" it when running a trusted website applet. "Activating" it will then prompt you to the Oracle site to download the latest version.

Thomas Reed wrote a good article about Java:

"Why you shouldn’t use Java" and "How to use Java if you need to":

http://www.reedcorner.net/using-java-in-mac-os-x/

If you ARE NOT a developer and need to use it temporarily to run a website applet I would recommend that you turn it off after using the applet. The only time we've had to use Java is when a family member wanted to play Pogo Bridge online. The procedure went exactly as described above in "HT5493" and then we turned it off after using the Bridge Java applet.

Macjack said what he meant to say...

There are others who need to run Java applets for banking, investing and other business applications. One of the most popular financial softwares is E*Trade pro for which Java Runtime is necessary.

I think you are confusing the Java Plug-in with the Java applets.

Not everyone has moved on. As hard as it is to believe, given Java's history of security vulnerabilities, there are many Java apps and applets that don't work with newer versions of Java. Even so, the changes to Java 6 are such that some programs have broken. They're poorly-coded ones, yes, but that doesn't mean there aren't folks relying on them anyway.

Oracle continues to update both Java 6 and Java 7, and thus Apple continues to update their version of Java 6. Beyond Java 6, Apple has washed their hands of the mess that is Java and is leaving it to Oracle alone.

NOPE, I KNOW THE DIFFERENCE.

I've never had to run Java applets for banking. And I'm not into stocks and trading. But for managing my bank accounts online, I've never had to use a Java applet.

I have had the "Enable Java" in Safari Preferences off for a couple months now (at least). That's the plug-in, btw. You can go to the "Help" menu in Safari and select "Installed Plug-ins" to see that Java plug-in. But I'm sure you already knew that.

Plus, if you go into your file system to "Library", "Internet plug-ins", you will see an icon that says "JavaAppletPlugin.plugin" and there is an arrow on the icon. The arrow means that the plug-in is disabled. But I'm sure you already knew that.

However, you really don't need to de-select the "Enable Java" in Safari since:

HT 5493: "This update uninstalls the Apple-provided Java applet plug-in from all web browsers. To use applets on a web page, click on the region labeled "Missing plug-in" to go download the latest version of the Java applet plug-in from Oracle."

But I would have it de-selected anyway.

I think you are confusing what you think you know with what you think I don't know...

Plus, if you go into your file system to "Library", "Internet plug-ins", you will see an icon that says "JavaAppletPlugin.plugin" and there is an arrow on the icon. The arrow means that the plug-in is disabled. But I'm sure you already knew that.

I'm quite sure he didn't, since it's not remotely true. The arrow on the icon means it's an alias, and that the actual file lives elsewhere.

Bookmarking Thomas Reed's website is a good bookmark to have. He keeps up with the Adobe Flash Player, Java and other important things.

http://www.reedcorner.net

So Java is starting to get a reputation for vulnerability now?

Yes, a very well-deserved one. It's had plenty of vulnerabilities in the past, some of them exploited, but Mac users never really worried about that too much. Until Flashback used one vulnerability to get itself installed on Macs without user interaction. Then that vulnerability was closed, but another one was quickly found and exploited again. That one got closed, but then there was another major vulnerability discovered affecting all versions of Java from version 5 up. That vulnerability was just fixed in this latest update, about a month after the vulnerability was announced to the public.

Yeah, Java is holier than Swiss cheese. You'd best take precautions if using Java in your web browser, like only keeping it turned on in one web browser, and using that browser only for trusted Java sites and nothing else.

I'm quite sure he didn't, since it's not remotely true. The arrow on the icon means it's an alias, and that the actual file lives elsewhere.

Ha, beat me up while I was posting a complimentary post about you. Good timing, Nice!

Sorry, didn't mean to pass on any information that is "not remotely true" (harsh). Thanks for the correction.

Came back in and now I'm out again. Always get taken down notches.

Peace

Message was edited by: DMerz

Ha, beat me up while I was posting a complimentary post about you. Good timing, Nice!

Well, you did post something that wasn't true after/while giving macjack some undeserved attitude.

Well, you did post something that wasn't true after/while giving macjack some undeserved attitude.

Thomas,

1) This place is full of attitude. And none of what I've written here has violated any TOU guidelines.

2) macjack has given me more than enough attitude in the past to last a lifetime and it's undeserved.

3) Please don't give me attitude to protect your friend.

4) I linked to you in my first post because I thought (and still do) that your website is very helpful.

Let's leave it at that. You corrected me, I was wrong about the icon arrow. Enough said.

Message was edited by: DMerz

Studying Java isn't going to hurt. It's a good language to learn, and you should get a good feel for object oriented design by learning Java, which is a good thing. However, I wouldn't focus too heavily on developing Java skills right now. Although I'm sure there will be a need for Java programmers for many years to come, to support legacy code if nothing else, it's already become a bit of a niche language and that can only get worse following all the vulnerability issues recently. (Those vulnerabilities didn't just affect Mac users, there were Windows exploits as well.)