linux-sun-jdk12 unfetchable

[Iang]

>> http://java.sun.com/webapps/download/Display?BundleId=9153
>>
>> no longer works.  Is this product still fetchable?
>>
>> Kris
>
> Same with j2sdkee13 and
>
> http://java.sun.com/webapps/download/Display?BundleId=9405


Sun has a very aggressive support calendar.  From
memory, once a release has been out for 6 months,
the previous release is given a 6 month window, and
after that it disappears from the site.  They actually
delete all the downloads.  So, in effect, there is
only a 12 month window to upgrade to the current
release, before you get into all sorts of hot water.

So I'd not be surprised if 1.3 was already gone,
and also 1.4.1 is probably close to expiry as well;
with the clock ticking on 1.4.2 as well.

I think this is commercially insane, myself.  It
means that commercial suppliers of packages cannot
in general support the Java releases that they are
delivering to customers in any packaged form, as
by the time it is rolled out, it's out of the 12
month window.  But as a trend, tight windows are
gathering force; Microsoft are now doing it too by
ditching support for anything pre XP, so I don't
see Sun backing off any time.

(I read about this 2 months back in looking for a
security file, which had gone ... breaking a whole
platform ... but I'm not 100% clear on it:  correct
me if I'm wrong, anyone.)

iang