"If this software turned up at your door, you'd call the police."

[charlie]

If you guessed they're talking about RealPlayer, you win.

Another:

Java doesn't do anything by itself. It's a programming language. Programming languages are like sewage plants: if the average user becomes aware of them, something's gone wrong.

Java doesn't know this. Java wants to be in your face. Java wants to be updated. Java wants to tell you the good news about Sun. Have you heard about Sun? Here's a nice picture of our logo. And fancy a copy of OpenOffice? No? Well, never mind. Java's installed a copy of Yahoo Toolbar in your browser instead. Because that's what programming languages are there to do, right?

More snark about the programs we just can't hate enough:

Annoying Software - A Rogue's Gallery

[RoyGBiv]

1. Java pisses me off ...

And it's one reason I'm not generally on the OpenOffice bandwagon. It's less obtrusive under Linux, but it can still be annoying.

"Norton Antivirus
It's a little unfair to pick on Norton Antivirus and make it carry the sins of half the desktop malware industry — but only a little unfair . . ."



Ayup.

[charlie]

2. I've never liked client side Java either

I think the last time I installed it was 6 years ago. Now I just do without. Loading a squintillion libraries for what amounts to a shadow OS with its own GUI framework, just to plunk an applet in a browser, is dumb. They let Flash steal what was rightfully theirs out from under them.

Acrobat Reader... It's currently up to 32 MEGABYTES, compressed. Now that everyone's decided that "cloud computing" is here FOR REALZ, they're grabbing turf with two hands before Microsoft gets it all. You want to read PDFs? How about a nice big greasy slab of Adobe AIR to go with it? Yeah, it has feck-all to do with Acrobat, but you let Silverlight in, didn't you? Didn't you?! How come we can't come over and play too, huh? It's only fair.

Do No Evil Google and its Chrome browser has been another awful disappointment. No time for questions, Chrome plants itself where it wants to -- click, BAM!, HUH?, DONE! You don't want icons in your Start menu or desktop? Tough toenails. You don't like a phone-home widget loaded at bootup? Pretend it's not there.

It's looking like 1998 all over again, when you'd screw your eyes shut and wince as you click Install.

Sheesh.

[charlie]

4. And here it is!

December 4, 2008 - 10 years too late and bursting with strange flavors and aromas, here comes Java's answer to Flash, Silverlight, and AIR...

It's JavaFX!

Because the day the Web becomes a giant XBox just can't come soon enough. Lock and load!

[madokie]

5. No coffee cup on my machine

I'm not sure how all that works but for some reason I forgot to install sun java on this install and I can't see as how I've missed anything. Everything seems to work just fine. What is doing the duty that sun java used to do in earlier installs on this box?

[charlie]

6. Nothing

Nothing is doing Java duty on your box. Which is a pretty good indication of how superfluous it's become. Occasionally, you might run into a webpage that'll inform you Java is needed to view something they've got -- a game, a chart, a 3D viewer, etc -- and you'll have to decide whether it's worth the install. I wouldn't. It's like building a kitchen because you want a hamburger. There are standalone applications that might make it compelling, but not many. Open Office is probably the most notable, but even that will run without Java, with reduced functionality.

Java is widely used on servers and mobile phones. On client PCs, it's a bust. This JavaFX thing is a bid to make it an exciting must-have for PCs. I don't expect it'll go anywhere.

My advice is to leave Java off your machine, you'll do fine without it. It's better to wait until you run into a implementation you must have before installing it.

[madokie]

7. Thanks, thats good to know

[hunter]

3. Java is a loathsome thing.

Teaching it ought to be a felony.

[BlueJazz]

8. Amen to the List. I Dispise Norton with a purple Passion.

I've had to clean out that crap so many times from customers Computers, I (almost) have nightmares about the shit.

Other Anti-virus programs like Nod32 or Avast just protect your computer...don't bug the shit out of you and "do their thing" quietly.

Norton is bloated junk.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

9. Norton Uninstall tool.

Run that, then run Wise Disk Cleaner, then run Wise Registry Cleaner, then run Regvac to get the stuff Wise doesn't get, then use RegVac to pack the registry. Voila. All gone.

I get a puffy every time I uninstall Norton. Some of the best fun you can have fixing computers.