IBM, or other Vendor, Hardware and Software users may not be immune to Oracle Java changes
The short of it: If you have downloaded a version of Java from java.com, it’s Oracle Java.
Since January 2019, Oracle requires subscriptions for any updates, including security updates, for Oracle JDK. Please refer to Miro’s previous blog post on Oracle’s announcement: Java updates will require a Commercial License for Businesses after January 2019
In addition to Miro’s previous blog post, IBM made a series of announcements regarding Oracle’s decision and posted a FAQ that they’ve been updating.
Basically, IBM recommends using IBM Java for any products that included it, or OpenJDK. IBM has also stepped up their role in the OpenJDK project.
This isn’t a repeat of the warning Miro provided about Oracle Java back in September 2018. Here’s an example of how the Oracle JDK could have been deployed in your environment as part of something that has an IBM (or other vendor’s) parent product:
If you have AS400/iSeries hardware, it includes IBM’s i Java. This can be used with the i OS. But let’s say you have partitions with Windows or Linux OS. You need to install a different version of Java, and downloaded it from java.com. That download would be Oracle JDK.
Today, the download page of java.com makes it clear something has changed that may not have been present when you originally downloaded from the java.com site in the past:
To learn more about Java’s new licensing requirements, check out our Java FAQ.
About Miro:
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