JRE and Firefox 2.0.0.1

I am surprised not to find JRE (sun java) installed. in Firefox 2.0.0.1 it shows a checkbox present for enable java. The presence of that box suggests that java is installed, yet, I cannot find it in my program files folders, nor do I see it in "add and remove programs". What does this mean? Is java now a part of Firefox, or is this just a quirk of the firefox interface?

It is somewhat important, as I would like to install it, if that is what is required, but seem to recall that if you do not uninstall the old version (if present), then you are screwed pretty thoroughly.

Could someone explain?

-HandsOff

 

The check box means that if you have Java installed (which you apparently do not have), FF would be allowed to run Java applets you may encounter on web pages. IOW, it's a permission switch. Not an indicator of whether JRE is actually on board...

Oh, forgot the last part. If you have never missed having Java, then you may not need it. But it can make one's web experience somewhat richer if pages you surf to use it. As for older versions, yes, they can end up having issues. But I have never had the first issue uninstalling older versions. And I have done it dozens of times.

 

Sounds as if you do not have JRE installed-otherwise it would show up in Program Files and Add Remove.

It is not installed with any other app,you must do that yourself.

Recommend you install it and then go to Internet Explorer-Tools-Internet Options-Advanced and half way down- activate Sun Java.

This will also de-activate the Microsoft version,which at the moment you are using ,but the original is better.

.edit;Just realised you are using Firefox-just activate the Java checkbox after install..

 

Thanks for the information. I still think it is weak for the browser interface to offer a choice that may not be valid, in the case that it is not present. But it's understandable.

I will now attempt the daring JRE installation!

BTW - I am surprised that I don't have it already! It used to be that you could not get very far on the internet without it. Perhaps this is changing?

-Thanks for your responses!

 

Did you read my post-you have been using the Microsoft alternative,with which most are reasonably satisfied with!!
As I explained Sun Java is a separate download-i give up!

 

I read it, but I did not understand it. I am not as on top of computer security issues as I once was. The last I knew Microsoft was not allowed to implement its java because of copyright issues. On top of that msjvm was considered (big surprise!) to be riddled with security flaws.

At the time this was an issue for me I was very annoyed because msvjm worked much better than Sun's Java. At some point Sun's java started working half way decently. That marks the end of my previous interest in the subject.

So get me up to speed! Are you suggesting msjvm is alive and well, and bulletproof?


-HandsOff

 

Not at all But if Sun Java isnt installed then the Microsoft version will, run-but as you said its not a great product.

So now you have the best installed and thats it!

edit-The Microsoft developer version seems to be called Visual J++.

Under the law suit settlement, Microsoft is permitted to use a version of Java in Microsoft products that already contain it.

 

Hi, if you want the latest Java JRE, it can be found here. Make sure to select the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 6 Update 4.

You can verify the new installation by going here.

As a side note. Please see the link in my signature and run the scan. You may need Java installed first as I tried it last week with an older version on my sisters computer and it wouldn't run. This scan will tell which important programs you have installed needs updated like the Firefox version your running .

Also, when new versions of Java are released, you will need to uninstall the older one's as Java won't do it for you .

Cheers,
innerpeace

 

innerpeace,

When I visit the link you provided to check the java version I have installed it says I have the latest recommended version (it says I have Update 3 which is correct, I have not downloaded Update 4). Any ideas why Update 3 still shows to be the recommended version?

 

I'm not really sure. I know the main Java site (java dot com) still shows version 6.3 as the download. 6.4 fixed a lot of bugs, but there was a Secunia advisory posted on the 1st rated as less critical. Perhaps the rating is not yet high enough to be a concern.

 

Thanks for the suggestions, I tell you what ended up being installed:

J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0 update 9, size 119mb (listed in add & remove)

This is where I think Firefox and Sun are really messed up! I went to firefox's homepage and looked under plugins and went to mozilla.org and read their recommendation, and that was to run the installer within firefox. It seemed to work. Java seems now to be installed.

...and yet...is this really the best version? If not, then why do they suggest installing it?

Is there anything wrong with running my version? I don't really have the bandwidth to keep downloading installs of this size!

...Oh, BTW, I meant Firefox 2.0.0.12


as to secunia and related tools...I am not terribly thrilled to have programs scanning my computer. I don't know how this tool works. Is it downloaded and run locally? If not, isn't it a potential problem? Sometimes the process of updating seems more dangerous than vulnerabilities.

 

I always like to go to the source to get any download. It's usually safer and up to date.

Usually new releases are to fix vulnerabilities and bugs. I personally like to keep everything up to date to limit the amount of holes available to the bad guys.

There is an online version and a downloadable version. It scans your computer for select programs to make sure they are the versions that don't have known vulnerabilities. here is a list of the programs the online version checks for. Malware just doesn't appear on computers, they find there way in through holes or the user is tricked into installing it.

I'm not going to twist your arm to try the scanner, I just find it easy to use because new versions of important software are constantly updated to fix security holes. It can be hard to keep everything up to date at times . Since the 18th of last month, I've had to update Winamp, Flash, Java and FireFox. QuickTime and Adobe have had updates also.

innerpeace