undefined | Better HN

0 pointssteego6y ago0 comments

Do you think the security holes killed Java and Flash? Or do you think they were just nails in the coffin?

I suspect performance and inconsistent experience killed Java applets and Sun stopped caring about desktop Java when they realized they can't make much money off it. Flash stuck around a lot longer than Java because it was fast, fun and ran consistently. It still lingered for some time after Jobs poisoned it.

Honestly, I don't think people cared that much about running updates. For most people, if the computer tells them they need to update, they update. I also don't think average users cared about security issues back then.

0 comments

tabtab6y ago

Re: I also don't think average users cared about security issues back then.

Recommendations in common publications to remove them unless absolutely necessary coincided with their market share slide, as I remember it.

Yes, Java applets was imperfect, but generally got better on every release. It was improving about as fast as JavaScript + DOM + CSS + HTML was.

Re: For most people, if the computer tells them they need to update, they update.

It didn't help them in that they tried to trick you into installing extra junk apps during the update process, like tool bars (AKA spam bars) and "free" anti-virus scanners.

Java had a big issue with applications that needed older versions, but the older versions often had security holes. Oracle didn't manage backward compatibility well. Trying to be a virtual OS instead of just an app platform contributed to the too-much-complexity-to-manage problem for Oracle. KISS.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse