Java

[Jimbo]

Is Java causing issues with your laptop ?

My Dad called today saying his laptop was having issues with Java, asking to update and whatnot, if he said No, it would crash the page and said it would look like a shattered screen on the page ... he'd have to shut it down to use again.

He's using a Asus Windows 8 with a Windows 7 shell ...

He's nervous to tell Java to go ahead and update as it is telling him that Java wants to run the computer or something like that ... I'm not there, so I'm only trying to make sense of what he has told me ...

Any Java issues going around ?

Is this a virus ?
Something else ?

Any solutions ?

 

[StevenD]

Does he even need Java? I'm assuming you mean the Java Runtime Environment. Most folks don't need it. I would just uninstall it.

 

[Ilya]

The short answer is: never accept any installation unless you are absolutely sure what you are doing. This very well could be some malware pretending to be a Java update.
Instead, go to Java.com - there are links there to check your current Java runtime version and to update it if required. If you do have Java installed and you want to keep it, then it is very important to update it.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I would uninstall Java, then head over to Java.com and download it direct from there.

 

[king3pj]

We use Go to My PC to remotely connect to our office computers. By default they use Java for the viewer program. I don't know all the details but about a year ago I found out it can connect through other means if you don't have Java. As soon as I discovered this I immediately removed Java from my personal machine. The reason being that it seemed like Java would be nagging me for a new update on a weekly basis. That might be an exaggeration but it was pretty damn often.

The reason for my post is that there is a good chance he doesn't even need Java anymore. Like I said, I haven't had it installed on my machine for about a year now and I'm a pretty heavy web user. I haven't found a single website or program I use that needs it. I no longer have to deal with them constantly asking to update and I don't have to deal with the Java vulnerabilities they are trying to patch out with those updates.

Unless he has some specific thing he does that requires Java I would just uninstall it from the machine and be done with it.

 

[Jimbo]

Thanks guys,
He went ahead and un installed it and hasn't had any issues since ... that said, I don't have the machine in front of me so I don't know if it was Java or Java Run time ..personally I don't know one from the other.
I was told that Java is often used for playing games, so I will let Dad know that if a game he's playing asks about it, to go ahead and d/l, other wise, not.

 

[navychop]

Try NOT. Other games out there.

HTML5.

 

[lfp302]

IIRC the state website (CO) for filing sales tax and witholding reports says "your computer needs to support scripts". I've always assumed that meant JAVA. Is that correct?