Java and Oracle Systems – changes to automatic patching

Java is a programming language first released in 1995, and there are lots of applications and a few websites that will not work unless Java is installed. The software required to run java applications has been freely available to download from Java.com with security patches and new features being released every couple of months. Now Oracle Systems, the owner of Java has decided to make money out of their asset.

Today customers with Java installed are automatically updated with the latest security patches. Oracle are planning to make two major versions of their product available, one which automatically updates (rather like Windows Update) at a cost that starts at $50 per customer per month. The other version will remain free but there will no longer be the automated update process as it needs to be manually repackaged and updated.

If you are affected, we will contact you shortly, but we plan to switch customers who need Java to the new “free” version and manage the update deployment ourselves each weekend when we apply Windows Updates. In terms of functionality customers should experience no difference. This service will be free of charge.