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I have just removed Java 8 SE from my computer.
I wrote a blog post a while back about how Oracle was changing the way it licenses the Java virtual machine 8 Standard Edition (SE).
You can read it here: SAP JVM and the Oracle Java SE 8 Licensing Confusion

At the time of the post, it was not very clear how the license changes were going to impact the use of the Java 8 SE virtual machine.

What’s Changed?

Briefly, at the end of January 2019, Oracle have essentially now stopped free updates to the Java 8 SE for non-personal customers.
This means that you as a personal user can continue to update Java 8 SE, but as a corporate user you may only apply updates to Java 8 SE if you have purchased a subscription to receive the updates.

I’m a Corporate User

If you are a corporate user of the Oracle 8 SE, unless you have a subscription, you can no longer update Java 8 SE.
If you wish to remain secure and remove security risks from your computers, you should de-install it if you do not want to purchase a subscription from Oracle.
If you do not uninstall Java 8 SE, but continue to update it, and you are audited by Oracle, then you may need to pay for a subscription.

Can Oracle Audit Me?

The Java 8 SE auto-update application now displays a prompt on machines that have the auto-update enabled and that have an internet connection.
If you choose to “Install” (you already have it installed) then at that point Oracle deem that you have accepted the license agreement and they can audit your company for the use of Oracle products.

How Do I Remove Java 8 SE?

For me it was easy.
My Java 8 SE installation has the auto-update function enabled, so it simply told me the license terms had changed and offered me the button to simply remove it. So I did.

You may need to uninstall it from within the Windows program uninstallation tool within Windows Control Panel.
Your IT teams may have already started the removal process automatically.

What If I Need an Up-to-date Java 8 VM?

If you need a Java 8 JVM, you can move to an open source version of Java, such as OpenJDK, or a number of others.

For SAP customers wanting to run their SAP tools, you can actually use the SAPJVM for use with your SAP tools such as SAP Software Download Manager, SAP HANA Studio, SAP ABAP tools on Eclipse and other Java based tools.

How Do I Download SAPJVM?

Downloading the SAPJVM is simple.
Take a look at SAP note 1442124 “How to download a SAP JVM patch from the SMP”.

References:

https://www.it-implementor.co.uk/2019/01/sap-jvm-and-oracle-java-se-8-licensing.html
https://blogs.oracle.com/java-platform-group/extension-of-oracle-java-se-8-public-updates-and-java-web-start-support
upperedge.com/oracle/top-3-reasons-oracle-java-users-are-unknowingly-out-of-compliance/
www.oracle.com/downloads/licenses/binary-code-license.html www.oracle.com/downloads/licenses/javase-license1.html www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/terms/oaa.html

If you have Java 5.0 (1.5), you may wish to know the default heap size for a JVM.
If you don’t specify -Xmx or -Xms to control the heap size, then the defaults are used.

They are described in detail in the strangely title “Ergonomics in the 5.0 Java Virtual Machine” page here: https://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/ergo5-140223.html

The page states:
“In the J2SE platform version 5.0 a class of machine referred to as a server-class machine has been defined as a machine with
2 or more physical processors
2 or more Gbytes of physical memory

On server-class machines by default the following are selected.
Throughput garbage collector
Heap sizes
initial heap size of 1/64 of physical memory up to 1Gbyte
maximum heap size of ¼ of physical memory up to 1Gbyte
Server runtime compiler“

So if you have a “server class” machine, you could expect your Java 5.0 JVM to utilise a maximum of 1GB of heap with no tuning (-Xmx & -Xms).

Although it’s not very clear, it seems that a non-“server class” machine would allocate the same as a Java 1.4.2 virtual machine:

“In the J2SE platform version 1.4.2 by default the following selections were made
Serial garbage collector
Heap sizes
initial heap size of 4 Mbyte
maximum heap size of 64 Mbyte
Client runtime compiler“

Therefore, a maximum of 64MB of heap would be utilised.

I don’t know if a single dual core CPU is recognised as a “server class” machine, but you can find out what your Java version thinks your machine is by running:

> java -help Usage: java [-options] class [args...] (to execute a class) or java [-options] -jar jarfile [args...] (to execute a jar file)


where options include:
    -d32         use a 32-bit data model if available
     -d64                  use a 64-bit data model if available
    -client            to select the "client" VM
    -server      to select the "server" VM
    -hotspot    is a synonym for the "client" VM  [deprecated]
                 The default VM is server,
                 because you are running on a server-class machine.

-cp <class search path of directo....

As you can see, the output tells you that it thinks you are running on a “server class” machine.

Either way, it’s probably best to use the “-server” command line option to be sure, plus the “-Xmx” option to restrict memory usage if you don’t need a whole 1GB heap.

Category: Java

Java 8 SE – I Just Removed It