Ubuntu 11.10 VM including OpenJDK Build Image

[Wade Chandler]

I agree. I feel like this is a major contributor to Open JDK not being 
used as much; well, until now since the OS distribution license is going 
away, but individually I think this type thing will still push 
individual developers and small companies away. There needs to be a 
central location where one can go and download various version for their 
various platforms. As a developer using a product to build a solution, 
myself and many others, do not want every project we use to be a big 
ordeal to get going on various platforms we need to deliver solutions. 
It is a simple numbers game on time.

If OpenJDK is going to be successful as other OSS projects, then this is 
going to have to be a must sooner or later and preferably sooner.

The current "Download and <link>install</link>" on the front page makes 
me ponder what I'm about to write.

I have heard the arguments about a JDK or a JRE being a "system" 
component, and from experience, that doesn't work out so well. If I have 
a particular system where I need to be able to know certain things about 
my software, for instance that a bug in build xxy doesn't get introduced 
in my system where I'm depending on xxx because a user runs some simple 
system updates which I have to then eat in time and money figuring out 
and fixing, then I want to include the main components my application is 
built atop as part of my overall installer; a sub-component of my 
overall software package.

Now, if it is something smaller, or certain server based applications, 
then perhaps a system requirement is OK, but in most cases, not. I want 
to be able to get a binary of the system for the given OS, include it in 
an install, and be moving on. I don't think building the thing for the 
platform needs to be part of that unless I'm specifically allocating 
some time and resources to contribute back to the project, and in those 
cases it is a specific part of my business processes and completely 
separate from my end delivery.

Along with that, when I'm investigating technologies which to build 
atop, and I'm new to those things, if I have to look here and there to 
find binaries, and it takes forever to get going with my requirements 
list to verify if something will work out or not, then I will often move 
on to something else with which I can get up and running. Ease of entry 
to the Java ecosystem needs to be kept in mind.

That's my $0.02 (2 cents), Thanks,

Wade

On 02/14/2012 08:45 AM, Donald Smith wrote:
> Personally, I think a well formed list of links to the community 
> binaries makes a lot of sense.
>
>  - Don
>
> On 14/02/2012 7:06 AM, Dalibor Topic wrote:
>> On 2/14/12 2:19 AM, John Yeary wrote:
>>> Let me make sure I understand, on the OpenJDK site we don't want to 
>>> host
>>> binaries either built by community folks, or Oracle?
>> Distributing (third party) binaries is not what OpenJDK is set up to 
>> do well.
>> In the way of a broken analogy, it's a bit like the Linux kernel, and 
>> its
>> source-code only kernel.org, then it is like, say, a full-fledged Linux
>> distribution, that provides binaries, caters to end users, etc. Or 
>> gcc.gnu.org,
>> for another example.
>>
>>> If I have a binary, add it as an attachment to the wiki for the 
>>> specific
>>> port?
>> That won't work, technically. But then, there is also a lot more work to
>> distributing any open source code then finding a spot large enough to 
>> host
>> a binary.
>>
>> cheers,
>> dalibor topic