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Will New Red-Text Warnings Kill Casual Use of Java?

Posted by timothy on from the brew-more dept.

New submitter ddyer writes "Java 1.7.0_40 [Note: released earlier this month] introduces a new 'red text' warning when running unsigned Java applets. 'Running unsigned applications like this will be blocked in a future release...' Or, for self-signed applets,'Running applications by UNKNOWN publishers will be blocked in a future release...' I think I see the point — this will give the powers that be the capability to shut off any malware java applet that is discovered by revoking its certificate. The unfortunate cost of this is that any casual use of Java is going to be killed. It currently costs a minimum of $100/year and a lot of hoop-jumping to maintain a trusted certificate.'"

9 of 282 comments (clear)

  1. We can only hope... by DavidHumus · · Score: 3, Insightful

    But don't get your hopes too high.

  2. Re:Applets only by jasper160 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It would be a welcome gift. I admin for a bunch engineers and a lot of the corporate and gov sites they access still use Java. And even worse some are so crappy they are version specific which makes no sense other than they are lazy.

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  3. Java applets? by bigtech · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Did I just step out of a time machine?

  4. WAAAAT by GameboyRMH · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Most of the Java apps I use are unsigned.

    Here's what I see happening: Lots of people hanging onto old Java versions, creating an even bigger security disaster.

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  5. I thought the whole point of Java... by BitterOak · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I thought the whole point of Java is that it runs in a sandbox so applets don't NEED to be trusted. Are they admitting failure here?

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    1. Re:I thought the whole point of Java... by dbc · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Yes. Exactly. They just plead guilt to selling snake oil, as we knew they were doing all along.

      And my mod points ran out yesterday :-/

  6. Re:Screw java, HTML5 + JavaScript by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    please don't ever type "chive" again

  7. Retards by 0123456 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    As others have mentioned, there are a ton of embedded systems which use Java as the control interface and load unsigned or self-signed applets to do so. Block them, and we'll be forced to stick with an old version of Java.

  8. Legacy by mwvdlee · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Does this mean the new Java will start bitching about legacy Java applications I've been running for years?
    What will this do to companies that run their own Java applications? They can no longer apply security patches for Java in the near future without the massive cost of repackaging their self-made Java code?
    This has "money grab" written all over it.

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