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

[Jan Henke]

Free Software also means the freedom of choice. Yes, using free software is preferably, but not always we can do that. This package's main purpose is to enable non-free software to integrate as good as possible into Debian. You have to acknowledge there is non-free software in the world and it is being used, sometimes deliberately.

I opened this bug not just for myself, but to ask for something, that in my opinion constitutes an improvement to this package and helps other people as well. After I have been following the Java mailing lists for quite some time, I am disappointed about this (in my opinion) aggressive replies to this bug.

I really appreciate Emanuel's suggestion, which would really solve the problem for me and also keep the current default for everyone else. Having the chance to make the new package the default simplifies the process for many people. It keeps the current default and those, who will use the extra parameter, would use the proprietary JDK as default anyway. So I fail to see where that harms the free software. It just makes the life easier for some people.

Can we agree on adding Emanuel's proposal as an additional option and otherwise refrain from ideological discussion about free vs non-free software please?

Best Regards,
Jan Henke



Jan Henke | Softwareentwickler
Hugendubel Digital GmbH & Co. KG
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-----Original Message-----
From: Markus Koschany [mailto:apo at debian.org]
Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2016 11:02 AM
To: Jan Henke
Cc: 820857 at bugs.debian.org
Subject: Re: Bug#820857: java-package: Generated JDK package should have higher priority than existing openjdk packages

Am 13.04.2016 um 10:32 schrieb Jan Henke:
> Hi,
>
> I would prefer this. An extra option while creating the package to give it the highest priority.
>
> Markus, while in principle I agree with you, sadly my job requires me to use the propritary JDK. I do think this use case should be as simple as possible and not made more difficult "because it is non free software".
>
> Best Regards,
> Jan Henke

I also have to use the proprietary JDK from time to time to test my
software. However I think Debian is about free software and everything
we do should reflect this and thus OpenJDK was made the default JDK/JRE.

I also don't see the difficulties in using

        sudo update-alternatives --config java


after the installation of the Oracle JDK and to change the default to
the preferred one. That would have taken less time than to file this bug
report.

Regards,

Markus