Oracle Discontinues Free Java Time Zone Updates 405
New submitter Noel Trout writes "For a long time in the Java world, there has been a free tool called the 'tzupdater' or Time Zone Updater released as a free download first by Sun and then Oracle. This tool can be used to apply a patch to the Java runtime so that time zone information is correct. This is necessary since some time zones in the world are not static and change more frequently than one might think; in general time zone updates can be released maybe 4-6 times a year. The source information backing the Java timezone API comes from the open source Olson timezone database that is also used by many operating systems. For certain types of applications, you can understand that these updates are mission critical. For example, my company operates in the private aviation sector so we need to be able to display the correct local time at airports around the world. So, the interesting part is that Oracle has now decided to only release these updates if you have a Java SE support contract. Being Oracle, such licenses are far from cheap. In my opinion, this is a pretty serious change in stance for Oracle and amounts to killing free Java for certain types of applications, at least if you care about accuracy. We are talking about the core API class java.util.TimeZone. This begs the question, can you call an API free if you have to pay for it to return accurate information? What is the point of such an API? Should the community not expect that core Java classes are fully functional and accurate? I believe it is also a pretty bad move for Java adoption for these types of applications. If my company as a startup 10 years ago would have been presented with such a license fee, we almost certainly could not have chosen Java as our platform as we could not afford it."
ORACLE = One Raging Asshole Called Larry Ellison (Score:5, Funny)
Re:ORACLE = One Raging Asshole Called Larry Elliso (Score:5, Funny)
it's Time to switch to python
Develop software - production software - in an interpreted language?
Not on my watch.
C# and Microsoft is looking better everyday.
Better let Google know they're doing it wrong then.
I always thought the Wars of the Reformation were a fascinating, if horrible, part of history. It's always fun to see them re-enacted in spirit with programming languages. Nobody is planning to destroy Bohemia though, right?
Re:ORACLE = One Raging Asshole Called Larry Elliso (Score:5, Funny)
Well, that explains why my watch battery only lasts 15 minutes...
Re:ORACLE = One Raging Asshole Called Larry Elliso (Score:3, Funny)
In fact, the idea that you would use whitespace to denote ANYTHING is ludicrous.
Yesyou'reabsolutelyright.Weshouldjustgetridofitentirely.Itsavessomuchtimetypingwhenyoudon'thavetousethespacebaratall.
Re:ORACLE = One Raging Asshole Called Larry Elliso (Score:5, Funny)
...and now displays the incorrect time in your locale.