java java hey!

[Fritz]

do you use Java and keep it up to date or avoid sites that use it or ........... ?
I've been getting notices that I'm out of date with 7.61, and there's version 7.71 that is current.

[Chakravartin]

If you've got it installed, keep it up to date.

[Filliam H. Muffman]

I would have rather chosen:
(o) have it disabled because it is the biggest security risk next to Acrobat/Flash, and always update it before I activate it for a site that requires it.

[space-time]

Filliam H. Muffman wrote:
I would have rather chosen:
(o) have it disabled because it is the biggest security risk next to Acrobat/Flash, and always update it before I activate it for a site that requires it.

wow, is it that bad? I remember ten years ago or more when Java was the coolest thing there was. How bad is it now?

[silvarios]

One of the reasons I updated to Lion on my aging Macs was to eliminated Java. We no longer use anything that requires Java so why have an old, out of date version installed. Big security risk if you don't need it.

[Fritz]

I'e heard there is security risks with it's use, but what are they?

[cbelt3]

Fritz wrote:
I'e heard there is security risks with it's use, but what are they?

In short, it's an application environment that can be fully controlled by software on a web site, and has full control to your OS. Malware writer's wet dream.

Trying to use it on Yosemite involves basically taking off your clothes and bending over. You have to repeatedly push the "I'm a risk taking idiot and I know it" buttons.

[Fritz]

but there is no replacement for it on sites that use it or apps that use it?
Like Preview for Reader?
it's used my an app for an audio device I use.

[deckeda]

We have it on one Mac because Minecraft runs in Java. Very annoying when developers don't write native apps--shows me they don't really care.

[deckeda]

Are we confusing Java with JavaScript? I've never regularly encountered a website that needs Java.