rich2005 wrote:
You need to look into the background of this change a little, not so much Ubuntu as a licensing issue with Oracle.
resonable article here:
http://lxnews.org/2011/12/19/oracle-jav ... om-ubuntu/Seems to be just the browser plugin that will be removed and AFAIK the "removing" will be accomplished by providing empty updates thus disabling Java. So now might be the time to pin the Java packages on your machine, although what you can do about browser updates I do not know. There is an alternative, OpenJDK, hopefully compatible with your Java applications and internet browser. I would think that many of the US based distros will follow suit, not from a FOSS/security view as per Ubuntu but from a fear of being sued.
There are always alternatives, such as LinuxMint based on Ubuntu but without the political correctness, although they do largely use the ubuntu repos. Also assuming Ocacle Java will still be available for individual installation much the same as Oracle provide VirtualBox packages.
Not a good situation as it will limit your choice.
Nowhere do they say that Oracle will make Java
*runtime* a non-fre software. By doing so they would shoot themselves in the foot (as said, there is the OpenJava one, and also the "stealth" IBM one).
The free side of Java owes a lot to Sun (now Oracle) and IBM's willingness to prevent Microsoft to rule the server world as they rule the desktop.