Bug#820857: java-package: Generated JDK package should have higher priority than existing openjdk packages

[Markus Koschany]

Am 13.04.2016 um 09:39 schrieb Jan Henke:
> Package: java-package
> Version: 0.60
> Severity: normal
> 
> Given the following situation. I have openjdk-8-jdk installed from the
> archive. For work I need the Oracle JDK, so I download the *.tar.gz and
> create a debian package from it with java-package. I install the created
> package, so I have both the openjdk-8-jdk from the archive and the
> Oracle JDK installed.
> 
> Now I run java -version on the command line.
> 
> Expected result: The java binary from the Oracle JDK is used by default.
> Actual result: The openjdk java binary is still used.
> (It is the same for all binaries, which are provided by both Java
> implementations).
> 
> It turns out, the package generated by java-package has a much lower
> priority(380) for update-alternatives then then openjdk(~1000) package.
> 
> Please change the java-package tool, so that the generated packages have
> the highest priority of all Java implemenations and are used by default.
> 
> Rationale: If I create a Debian package with make-jpkg and install it,
> it is a deliberate act, that I want that Java implemantation on my
> machine. It should therefore be used by default. Not using this
> implementation after installing it is unexpected and against user expectation.

I disagree with this rationale because making non-free software the
default should always be a deliberate action. If two alternatives exist,
OpenJDK 8 and Oracle JDK, then the free alternative should be promoted
and always have the highest priority. I would expect that people who
install the Oracle JDK would use the update-alternative mechanism
manually the same way they would switch between two versions of OpenJDK.

I don't think we should change the current behavior and mark this bug as
wontfix because there will always be people who will argue for or
against this proposal.

Regards,

Markus


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