Do I really need Java?

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I just installed Win8 and it seems to install Java. Why? Do I actually -need- this for anything useful? I’d rather dump it if not.

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I have read articles that indicate some people do not use Java by choice and they are fine with that
I suppose it depends on which browser is being user, maybe OS and I suppose the skill level of the person doing what they are doing
I use have used IE throughout the years with out any problems including Java
I have helped some friends with Mozilla Firefox and Java was still needed for the games they play
So since you have Windows 8 I would say let your Java versions stay up-to-date
— You can decide not to do so but I wouldn’t recommend it
Also I have a couple of friends who claim they do not have Java but they do not share how they get by without it
— I have also challenged them to show me how to get by without Java just with simple Pogo games and they couldn’t
Have you done a search on Do I need Java to help you decide whether or not you can in your case?

HP EliteBook 8540w laptop Windows 10 Pro (x64)

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SunTower,

Only if you have a program that requires it.

Examples: Arachnophobia (HTML Editor)
Samsung Kies (Phone Syncing Software but only for some functions.)

HTH :cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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I just installed Win8 and it seems to install Java. Why? Do I actually -need- this for anything useful? I’d rather dump it if not.

Are you sure it installed Java?

A lot of people confuse Java with Javascript.

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Ditto what Browni said. As I read the thread I was about to mention that when I read his post. Java and Java Script are 2 very separate and distinct things. Java Script is an integral part of Windows.

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I would suggest that you install the latest version of Java, and that you then disable it in the browsers.

In this way, you can benefit from Java functionality in Windows, and minimize your Java risks in the browser.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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In this way, you can benefit from Java functionality in Windows, and minimize your Java risks in the browser.

What Java functionality? I don’t have it installed and I certainly don’t suffer any loss of functionality within Windows.

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What Java functionality? I don’t have it installed and I certainly don’t suffer any loss of functionality within Windows.

Some programs require Java. For example, we use PeopleSoft at my job, and it is Java-based.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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I would suggest that you uninstall the Java Runtime Environment (JRE), and then see if anything which requires it objects to its absence (such as one or two components of LibreOffice or Open Office).
It is very simple to reinstall the JRE if you actually need it.
If you don’t need it, then you have avoided software which some regard as a potential security risk, since it’s often attacked.

BATcher

Plethora means a lot to me.

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My 2 cents worth……what about the vulnerabilities that Java has, no one is mentioning this major fact. For this fact alone I don’t use Java or have it installed on any of my PC’s.
Here a long list of links…….

https://www.google.com/webhp?source=search_app#q=java+vulnerabilities+2013

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Here’s what Woody Leonhard says about Java Script (Java in the browser):
http://windowssecrets.com/top-story/security-alert-remove-java-from-your-browsers/

Here’s what Susan Bradley says about both Java and Java Script:
http://windowssecrets.com/known-issues/java-more-than-the-usual-cup-of-coding-coffee/

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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Here’s what Woody Leonhard says about Java Script (Java in the browser):
http://windowssecrets.com/top-story/security-alert-remove-java-from-your-browsers/

Here’s what Susan Bradley says about both Java and Java Script:
http://windowssecrets.com/known-issues/java-more-than-the-usual-cup-of-coding-coffee/

Jim, just a side note, Java and Javascript have no relation whatsoever. Javascript is not Java in the browser. Javascript is present in all browsers, it’s indispensable for a modern UI experience. Java may also be used in a browser (I need it to submit my tax returns!!).

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I just installed Win8 and it seems to install Java. Why? Do I actually -need- this for anything useful? I’d rather dump it if not.

Java doesn’t “seem” to install itself, it requires user input.

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[pedant]
Surely on PCs the distinction is between Javascript and the Java Runtime Environment (JRE)?

“Java” itself is just the language that the JRE happens to be written in…
[/pedant]

BATcher

Plethora means a lot to me.

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I just installed Win8 and it seems to install Java. Why? Do I actually -need- this for anything useful? I’d rather dump it if not.

Everything you ever wanted to ask about Java and were afraid to ask, has already been written up on the internet, somewhere. Let your browser do the walking….. Here is just one Internet entry on the Subject of What is Java?
http://www.java.com/en/download/faq/whatis_java.xml

Not only do you most likely need it, but you Do need to keep it up to date, like many other programs on your PC.
I carry the very latest version of Java with me on every service call, so I can share it with my customers.

Cheers Mate!
The Doctor

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Everything you ever wanted to ask about Java and were afraid to ask, has already been written up on the internet, somewhere. Let your browser do the walking….. Here is just one Internet entry on the Subject of What is Java?
http://www.java.com/en/download/faq/whatis_java.xml

Not only do you most likely need it, but you Do need to keep it up to date, like many other programs on your PC.
I carry the very latest version of Java with me on every service call, so I can share it with my customers.

Cheers Mate!
The Doctor

I’ve long been looking for a good write-up of the difference between Java and javascript and their relation (if any) to the java 7.45 thing that is installed on many PCs. The description at java.com is one of the worst….they don’t describe anything well with all their marketing-speak.

I work on PCs all day, and honestly cannot figure it out because everybody who describes it eventually gets their terms and technologies confused. Java is not javascript? Javascript is not java? Then what the heck are they? Nobody seems to be able to explain it.

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I’ve long been looking for a good write-up of the difference between Java and javascript and their relation (if any) to the java 7.45 thing that is installed on many PCs. The description at java.com is one of the worst….they don’t describe anything well with all their marketing-speak.

I work on PCs all day, and honestly cannot figure it out because everybody who describes it eventually gets their terms and technologies confused. Java is not javascript? Javascript is not java? Then what the heck are they? Nobody seems to be able to explain it.

Java and Javascript have no relation whatsoever. None. I am not sure this is the reason, but Wikipedia has an explanation for the name similarity: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JavaScript#History

Java is a general purpose, object-oriented, programming language. It was developed with the purpose, among others, of being a platform neutral language, that could be use in all operating systems. It is still a language of choice, especially in academia, for object oriented programming courses. It has some applications in enterprise computing. IMO, although it is indeed a language that can be run in all current operating systems, it failed the goal of being a sort of a programming language of choice.

Javascript was developed to be a language used to program / control, web browsers behavior. As I said before, all browsers run a dialect of Javascript and the earlier versions were not very uniform. Each browser supported a specific version of Javascript, making the life of web developers a living hell. Usually, to have a website in Javascript running in all major browsers, it was very hard, a lot of work for developers, to detect the specific browser a user was using and use its dialect. The language evolved and gained importance and with the advent of an amazing library (jQuery), web developers life was made much easier. The language so increased it’s popularity that today is even used for server side programming (with node.js, for example).

Sometimes Java can also be used in website programming. Some sites use applets, written in Java, to achieve things that were harder to achieve before. With the continued development of Javascript, probably Java will even lose that role. I have even seen programmers suggesting that Javascript will be the language everyone needs to learn, as its applicability will increase even more.

So, Java and Javascript are completely different beasts. Probably Javascript will continue to see its importance increasing (now even Windows 8 native apps can be written in Javascript) while the same probably cannot be said of Java.

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My history with JAVA began with my XP OS in 2004. I kept it – updated always but found, thanks to Windows Secrets columns, that I may not need it as much as I thought. I removed JAVA from my former XP and never had a problem with not being able to run an application because of the lack of JAVA. I put my new computer with Win8 on line during May of this year and I’ll be – if I can recall that it came loaded with JAVA. If it did, it’s long gone and I’ve yet to see a problem. AND I don’t have to worry about whether it’s up to date or not cause it ain’t there! Keeping Windows updated is problem enough!

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if I can recall that it came loaded with JAVA.!

If you used an OEM install it may have been included to support the junkware that an OEM install includes.

A clean install of Windows does not include Java.

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Safety first.

Java has been the major infection vector for over 2 years (probably 3-4 now), best to do as already suggested and fully uninstall it, any prompts to install it – look for a Java-free alternative or see if you can live without it.

Outside of the Enterprise, many users can do fine without Java, if not most. I’ve not had it installed for 1.5 years and yet to find a need for it. Obviously, if you have favourite games or a vital piece of software that needs it, you’re in a different position.

If Java really is needed in the browser, adopt a 2-browser strategy, keep your main browser free of Java, block the Java browser plugin for your 2nd browser – only allow the Java plugin to be active when you actually need it, block it again once finished.

Java is best kept away from IE, as it’s already tied into Windows which is the pay dirt target for any malware.

Java has become safer recently, but only if you keep it fully updated and all older versions are uninstalled (Secunia PSI helps here) and the Java plugin blocked from the browser(s) when not needed. Recent changes/patches made by both Oracle (50+ fixes last time, almost all were Critical+!) and Microsoft have fixed many of the known problems, I don’t doubt that there are still other holes they will need to plug in the near future.

If you don’t have Java instralled, you don’t need to patch it, your PC and data are safer and you have more free time

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