[vox-tech] Installing Java

[Rick Moen]

Quoting Jay Strauss (me at heyjay.com):

> What's the drawback of just using the java installer/binary from 
> java.sun.com?  I don't really need the apt advantages....

Distributions' packagers perform valuable quality control and
distro-specific porting.  E.g., all the pieces land where they're
supposed to, and interact with the system in accordance with its 
policy.  Given that you're a Debian guy, I imagine you're aware of the
importance of policy.  ;->

Also, this ensures that the software is known to your
software-registration system.  (That has nothing to do with apt.
It would apply equally well if you used carrier pigeons, floppy disks,
and "dpkg -i".)

> I wouldn't want java just updated automatically when I do apt-get
> upgrade anyway.

If software that uses it is likewise known to the software-registration
system, you most certainly (logically) would.  However, having the package
(thus) known to the software-registration system doesn't mean it need be
"updated automatically" unless you want it to:  You may want to look up
how to set package "hold" status using dpkg, dselect, etc.

Locally installing software (/usr/local, /opt -- i.e., not under
software-tracking) when you don't have to strikes me as a ghastly
mistake, generally, and I'm sure more reasons than I've cited above will
occur to you.  If you're stuck, read my EBLUG-talk slides on
http://linuxmafia.com/presentations/ , and note the lessons drawn from
the tcp-wrappers-7.6.tar.gz trojaning in 1999, for one reason.   ;->

-- 
Cheers,                                      Hardware:  The part you kick.
Rick Moen                                    Software:  The part you boot.
rick at linuxmafia.com