Tag Archive for java

| July 18, 2013

Butterfly in the Sky the PRISM Rainbow

So I have questions about PRISM.
1) As a software developer I want to know what platforms and tools the gov is using, that is a lot of data to store and parse so it would benefit the community to know how to do it. It is Java? .NET or cough cough PHP :-) What are they using to store this data, RDMS NoSQL Berkley DB?
2) So this work is likely farmed out to contractors is there an agreement among the contractors that they don’t spy on each other? Does company A take steps to make sure that company B isn’t listening in on their conference calls about their responses to RFPs?

Surveillance in the shadow of the Capitol.

Surveillance in the shadow of the Capitol.

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Category: DCDan, politics | Tags: , , , , , , ,
| May 11, 2013

Mountain Lion Java 1.6 with 1.7 Already Installed

Reading online about how to install Java 1.6 on fresh install of Mac OS X Mountain Lion (10.8) all of the instructions say to run “java -version” from Terminal.app and this will prompt you to run the Java 1.6 installer. This is the last version created by Apple for Java 1.7 later you have to get the installer from Oracle.

When I was setting up my new computer, I did just that unfortunately the Java 1.6 install wouldn’t start as the App Store app was currently running and installing Xcode. In the meantime I went to Oracle’s site and grabbed the latest version of Java 1.7 JDK. (Java SE 7u21) I ran the installer, everything went well. I opened a new Terminal typed in “java -version” and got back java version "1.7.0_21"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.7.0_21-b12)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 23.21-b01, mixed mode) and all was right.

Later after XCode was installed I figured it was time to install Java 1.6, except that the common solution of typing “java -version” would no longer work as there was currently a version of Java installed and the installer dialog was no longer triggered. Fret not though child for if you search the Apple Developer Site you can find Java 1.6 installer

Once you’ve installed it you can use can use the commands I mention in this post to easily switch between the two.

Building my own fusion drive.

Building my own fusion drive.

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Category: DCDan, Technology | Tags: , , , , ,
| April 24, 2013

Using both Java 1.7 and 1.6 on Mountain Lion

Here’s the situation you need to use both JDK 1.7 and JDK 1.6 for different projects you are working on with Mac OS X. You already have Java 1.6 installed and ran the installer for Java 1.7 from Oracle but no matter what you do java -version will only show 1.6.

Here’s what you do to use 1.7 run the following:
sudo rm /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/CurrentJDK
sudo ln -s /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.7.0_21.jdk/Contents/ /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/CurrentJDK

To use 1.6 run the following:
sudo rm /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/CurrentJDK
sudo ln -s /System/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/1.6.0.jdk/Contents /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/CurrentJDK

Note you may have to adjust for the exact version for example if you installed jdk1.7.0_12.jdk.

Here’s an example:
thor:~ dan$ sudo rm /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/CurrentJDK
thor:~ dan$ sudo ln -s /System/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/1.6.0.jdk/Contents /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/CurrentJDK
thor:~ dan$ java -version
java version "1.6.0_45"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_45-b06-451-11M4406)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 20.45-b01-451, mixed mode)
thor:~ dan$ sudo rm /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/CurrentJDK
thor:~ dan$ sudo ln -s /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.7.0_21.jdk/Contents/ /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/CurrentJDK
thor:~ dan$ java -version
java version "1.7.0_21"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.7.0_21-b12)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 23.21-b01, mixed mode)

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Category: DCDan, Technology | Tags: , , , , , , ,
| March 1, 2013

Java, Hackers and Bears. Oh My!

A lot of attention has been paid recently to hackers exploiting Java to access your computers and do bad things. This is true and it is scary but there is a lot of confusion about what that means and what you need to do to protect yourself.

First I need to point out that Java and JavaScript are VERY different. This exploit does not apply to JavaScript and disabling it in your browser will make surfing the web suck.

If you have no need for Java all together it wouldn’t hurt to uninstall it from your computer but there are a lot of popular applications that require Java to run. Adobe Illustrator requires Java, the wonderful alternative to Microsoft Office, Libre Office uses it.* As do many others.

If you want to take the less extreme route yet still be safe, you should disable Java in the browser (Comprehensive instructions from Oracle the makers of Java), this will mean that some sites and somethings will not work. This is usually okay though because Java in the browser, known formally as Applets, isn’t very popular anymore. Disabling Java in your browser will protect you from the hackers.
Browser Settings

The last case is that you, do need Java Applets to be productive. Some VPNs and Video Conferencing applications require Java. If you fall into this category I suggest you download a separate browser that you use specifically for this purpose and use only for this purpose and enable Java in that browser. Opera is a free browser that you can use for this purpose.

To summarize

  • Java and JavaScript are very different
  • Disable Java in your browser
  • If you need Java Applets use a specific browser with Java enabled only for sites that require it

This has been a PSA from Common Folk Collective.

*Seriously if you are using Open Office or considering buying MS Office you should check Libre Office out first

UPDATE: I heard a good way to explain Java v JavaScript. Java is JavaScript as Ham is to Hamster.

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Category: DCDan, Technology | Tags: , , ,