installing a package that wants the "wrong" java

[Robert P. J. Day]

On Mon, 28 Jun 2010, Florian Diesch wrote:

> "Robert P. J. Day" <rpjday at crashcourse.ca> writes:

... snip ...

> >   also, if that software really is compatible with openjdk, would
> > it make more sense for the vendor to list as its dependency the
> > more generic "java-compiler" or "java6-sdk" so that either one
> > would satisfy the dependency?  thanks.
>
> I think so. But you better ask at the developer mailing list what's
> the current best practise. Maybe someone could update
> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/JavaPolicy

  here's a more specific question -- is there a way to package
software such that it depends on the meta(?)package java6-sdk, but it
"prefers" sun's java as opposed to openjdk?  i'm sure that's a bad way
of phrasing it, but the vendor is nervous about allowing openjdk as an
alternative, even though it seems to work.  the vendor admits that
using openjdk passes all the tests, it just generates piles of
warnings.

  my attitude is, i'm fine with openjdk not being *officially*
supported, i just want the *option* of it satisfying the dependency.
is there a way that this sort of thing is done in packaging?  maybe an
installation dialog of the form, "i officially support sun's java, but
i see you have openjdk installed -- are you sure you want to do this?"

rday

-- 

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Robert P. J. Day                               Waterloo, Ontario, CANADA

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