# Firefox 8 and OpenJDK?



## Todd42 (Nov 29, 2011)

Hello, I am new to FreeBSD, and I was reading the FreeBSD Handbook in the browsers section.  

http://www.freebsd.org/doc/handbook/desktop-browsers.html

And, it says after installing Firefox 8, I should install OpenJDK6.  However, I notice I have a port of OpenJDK7 on my system already.  And, if I go to 

http://openjdk.java.net/

I see there is an OpenJDK8.  Should I use the latest OpenJDK8 or stay with OpenJDK6?

Also, I changed my packagesite to 

ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/ports/i386/packages-8-stable/Latest

and I was wondering if that was the right or best thing to do for a FreeBSD 8.2 system.  
Thanks in advance.


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## YZMSQ (Nov 30, 2011)

Well, I'm not clear what you really need. Should you need the Java plugin working in a browser, go with java/openjdk6 and java/icedtea-web, which work flawlessly these days. If you want to give java/openjdk7 a spin, which is the latest one, it's trivial to install from ports or packages, although there's no icedtea-web that corresponds to this one, so you don't expect the Java plugin to work. BTW, OpenJDK 8 is too advanced and latest, you don't need it unless you're a JDK developer, and furthermore, there's no OpenJDK 8 port now.


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## Todd42 (Nov 30, 2011)

When I tried to install OpenJDK6, it took literally all day and produced a series of dependency issues and errors.  So, I do not doubt that it works flawlessly.  The problem is getting it to work in the first place.


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## Todd42 (Nov 30, 2011)

I am sorry, in my reply I should have thanked you for replying.  In all sincerity, I do appreciate your taking the time to help and at least consider my issue.


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## YZMSQ (Dec 1, 2011)

Todd42 said:
			
		

> When I tried to install OpenJDK6, it took literally all day and produced a series of dependency issues and errors.  So, I do not doubt that it works flawlessly.  The problem is getting it to work in the first place.


If you've got some odd errors from ports, which seems hard to fix, a workaround is to install it via binary packages, though I'm not sure whether the package of OpenJDK 6 for 8.2 resides on the mirror site or not, 'cause I use 9.0 currently.
BTW, what's the obstacle you bumped into that keeps your compiling in ports from proceeding? AFAIK, compiling it will need a JDK installed on your box, you could install a pre-compiled version of JDK called java/diablo-jdk16, which doesn't work with our web browser unfortunately, then start your compiling OpenJDK 6 again from ports, and after that the diablo-jdk16 can be removed from your box. There're many guides that could help your installing java/diablo-jdk16. :e


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## Todd42 (Dec 2, 2011)

Oh, thanks again for the reply.  I actually got it working today.  It has been an all day process though.  All I am doing is following the BSD Handbook in the browser section.  It says to make install clean.  So, I do.  And, that takes a very long time.  BTW, how do I upgrade to FreeBSD 9 without uninstalling FreeBSD 8.2?  Thanks again for your help.  When I first installed FreeBSD, the first programs just involved me using the pkg_add commands which was phenomenally easy.  Which is another reason my first impression of FreeBSD was good.  The only issue now that I can think of is the fact that I configured FreeBSD with IPv6 and IcedTea is not compatible with IPv6.  So, when I edit /etc/fstab, it causes FreeBSD to boot into Single User mode.  So, IcedTea and IPv6 do not get along.  
Anyway, thanks again. It has been quite a process, but I think I doing better now.  I know I learned alot!


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## YZMSQ (Dec 2, 2011)

Todd42 said:
			
		

> BTW, how do I upgrade to FreeBSD 9 without uninstalling FreeBSD 8.2?


Follow this.


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