Is Java now safe

Gotcha.

Java will NEVER be safe.

So what you are saying Billy, is that the evidence does not bear out the claims? Wtf..using facts and sh*t.........?

Does anybody need Java nowadays ?

I understand from many authoritative web comments that Java is a thing of the past. A legacy of ye good olde days when computers had Thomas Edison electronic valves and gears. I do not have Java and do not miss it one bit. Javascript - YES.

Edited by yabbadoo, 28 August 2013 - 09:38 AM.

What about this question. How do you argue that one 'needs' any particular language?What does that even mean...need?

Java is the first or second most popular programming language (depending on which survey you view).

https://www.udemy.com/blog/best-programming-language/

http://spectrum.ieee.org/at-work/tech-careers/the-top-10-programming-languages

http://blog.codeeval.com/codeevalblog/most-popular-programming-languages-of-2013

Based on popularity, Java isn't going away any time soon, and it will need engineers to support it for years to come. You could argue that Cobol is not 'needed' either, except that financial institutions once plunked down a crap-ton of money to build enterprise systems using Cobol, and it is financially prohibitive to rewrite systems that already work perfectly.

Need - To require something because it is essential or very important rather than just desirable.

Is Java essential = NO

is Java very important = NO

​Is Java just desirable = perhaps dependent on individual choice.

Dictionary definition - presumably this clarifies my use of the verb need.  I do not interpret Java as being compatible with this definition and therefore my use of the term in my post is self explanatory and completely correct, making the post a valid question.

I see no merit in bringing the outdated Cobol comparison into the arena, since it is only retained by virtue it being "financially prohibitive to rewrite systems that already work perfectly."

My former company was using Cobol over 40 years ago.

Edited by yabbadoo, 28 August 2013 - 11:52 AM.

Does anybody need Java nowadays ?

It is a pointless question because no argument can be made that any language is needed.
.

I understand from many authoritative web comments that Java is a thing of the past

No. I provided samples that demonstrate your understanding is not correct. As with Cobol, companies have spent enormous amounts of money writing (and still are) writing Java-based enterprise programs, therefore Java is not a thing of the past, and will not be for the foreseeable future.

'Need' is a noun.

Edited by groovicus, 28 August 2013 - 01:17 PM.
frgot lettrs

@ Groovicus

Fair comments from you and fair comments from me. 

We each have a different perspective on this issue, which is of course the essence of discussion.  I wish you well and respectfully  agree to disagree.

I now withdraw from this particular thread.

Yabba

PS - 

I used NEED in the context of being a VERB,  but thank you for the grammatic observation, see above.

Edited by yabbadoo, 28 August 2013 - 01:49 PM.

Your perspective is wrong, I provided evidence. Regardless of definitions, you can only argue that we 'need' some language, but you cannot argue that we need any particular language. You didn't disagree with that.

On what exactly are we disagreeing? We can have different opinions, but you cannot simply ignore evidence because it does not support your point.

Need - To require something because it is essential or very important rather than just desirable.

 

Is Java essential = NO

is Java very important = NO

​Is Java just desirable = perhaps dependent on individual choice.

 

Dictionary definition - presumably this clarifies my use of the verb need.  I do not interpret Java as being compatible with this definition and therefore my use of the term in my post is self explanatory and completely correct, making the post a valid question.

 

I see no merit in bringing the outdated Cobol comparison into the arena, since it is only retained by virtue it being "financially prohibitive to rewrite systems that already work perfectly."

 

My former company was using Cobol over 40 years ago.

My knowledge of Java is I've heard of it and gotten messages its missing or corrupt or some such and I need to fix it.   Just now I was trying to create a database in Libre Office and I was told I need Java Run Time.   So what's up with Java, now you have created a cause for concern in my limited knowledge.   What if anything do I need to concern myself with in re Java other than a safe place from which to download?

Hope you don't mind my tacking on to your conversation?

@Frank

 you might not need Java,but the OP might.First of all,Java is used by a thousands of websites like CanYouRunIt -- and even  Minecraft (lol?). The OP,might need Java,they haven't specified it yet so they're asking if Java is still vulnerable to Zero-Hour/Day threats.

Edited by Jesus H. Christ, 29 August 2013 - 11:28 PM.

I un-installed Java almost one year ago, and have yet to need it, so for my purposes, the only Java I need is that hot steamy stuff in the morning and wee hours,

Now Java Script is another story, I run into it everywhere, and to keep it safe in Firefox, I use this.

http://noscript.net/

Edited by GB2064, 29 August 2013 - 04:49 PM.

I keep java disabled in my browsers, but I've often hoped there would be a tool to let me know when a program is using one of these common library type things.  Another big one is SQL server - I see that running on all sorts of machines and I'm pretty sure none of the programs people are using utilize it, but I can't be sure.  Often, it was used in an older version of the program that has since been upgraded and the SQL part has been running ever since...

Does anyone know of software that will detect what programs are installed that use Java, etc? Or maybe there's a list somewhere.  I always meant to look...

To remain on topic, this would help us determine if a computer was using Java, and if it wasn't we could uninstall it and remove a security hole.