Minecraft debuts new block – one that blocks Java crapware, that is

Oracle may be sticking with its plan to bundle unwanted software with its Java installer and updates, but Minecraft players soon shouldn't have to worry about it, thanks to a new launcher for the popular Java-based game. Minecraft maker Mojang – now a division of Microsoft – has been rolling out the new launcher over the past …

[djstardust]

Interesting ......

"Minecraft maker Mojang – now a division of Microsoft"

Seems a bit strange kicking Oracle in the nads less than two years from forming a major partnership with them .....

https://blogs.oracle.com/cloud/entry/oracle_and_microsoft

Mind you, as the last couple of weeks has proved crapware is on the way out!

[DNTP]

Re: Interesting ......

I think Minecraft, despite running on Java, doesn't even register on Oracle's radar as a 'killer app' that drives people to install Java. Microsoft doesn't want distribution of Minecraft to be hampered by problems that users have with installing Java from a third party, and Oracle probably would prefer not to have to support users having problems with the backend of a mere *computer game*. So bundling a dedicated JRE, that one would expect to be streamlined, tested, and optimized for Minecraft, is really a win-win for both companies and hopefully end users as well.

As re: modding, I think that for better or worse that is really up to Microsoft, and not predicated either way by custom Java. Make it open, people will figure it out and have fun; lock it down, fewer people will figure it out, the community will be a bit less fun.

[William Donelson]

Fugly

Fugly ugly omg.

[djstardust]

Re: Fugly

Sorry mate, you're in the wrong thread.

iWatch is here:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/03/09/apple_watch_live_blog/

[imanidiot]

I'm kind of wondering if this is also done to muscle out all other launchers "on the market" such as "Magic Launcher" and the likes which make it much easier to install/manage mods.

[Anonymous Coward]

I doubt it.

[jonathan keith]

Gosh.

That might just get me playing some Minecraft again.

[GBE]

Optimizing customer support costs

When they talk about optimizing the game by bundling a JRE, what they're actually optimizing is probably support costs. [I assume if you pay for a copy of Minecraft, you get some modicum of support.] I wouldn't be surprised if Minecraft's customer support staff spend 3/4 of their time dealing with borked Java installations.

[poopypants]

I guess that's a start

Conversion to C# would be better.

[stucs201]

Re: I guess that's a start

I'm not so sure.

Writing it in something other than Java to start with may have been better. Converting it now might not work so well if people get bored because it freezes the feature-set for too long or breaks all the 3rd party mods.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: I guess that's a start

I know a couple of parents who have provided Minecraft on Raspberry Pis for their children. It is good that it is written in Java over C# for this reason alone. Not to mention C# has little advantage in the Windows world and even less as soon as you step outside of the Windows world.

With a proper dedicated server for them to connect to, it makes the Pi an extremely cheap disposable games console (well Minecraft anyway) that wouldn't be possible with .NET.

They would also have lost the entire Linux market and given the games design around mindless tinkering for no reason other than tinkering, it is highly suited to the Linux users mindset.

[stucs201]

Re: They would also have lost the entire Linux market

1% of the users according to the graph Dinnerbone recently tweeted. Though the 5% that are OSX users would be a more significant factor.

http://media.dinnerbone.com/uploads/2015-03/screenshots/09_11-06-09_QLAhnzHO25.png

[Alan Bourke]

Re: I guess that's a start

Welp, they've already got XBox and PS4 versions that are presumably C++ rewrites ... it MIGHT happen down the road, especially now that the core of .NET is all nice and open source.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: I guess that's a start

.dlls don't work very well on OSX or Linux...

...Which is a bit of a step backwards really, when the current architecture of Minecraft runs happily on both...

[Boris the Cockroach]

Its what

any sensible Java developer does

Take a standard JRE, add /take off the extra bits you need/dont need.

Bundle the thing up with your software, and deliver to the customer so all they have to do is run the installer and away they go

Also avoids the browser thing and the crapware add ons( although quite why big companies stick in crapware that can only earn them pennies is beyond me)

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Its what

The problem often is, the dev's / finance department get bored of their product, release patches when they can be arsed or on a 6 to 12 month cycle. so you are often stuck with out of date lumps of Java. So although they may not of installed the full blown version, they could easily be exploitable code in their.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Its what

THERE not their.

Sorry folks.

[DrXym]

Bizarre story

Lots of apps bundle their own JRE which is basically just a few folders including the version of Java they need. Minecraft used to not bother doing this and now they do. It probably solves some QA / administration headaches to have people using the same tried and tested version of Java powering the experience.

[Anonymous Coward]

I'll never understand why Sun and now Oracle have gone out of their way to make peoples first experience of Java so unbelievably bad. Installing a runtime is not something people want to be doing anyway, they just don't see why they need to do it, but making it painful as well is just insane. Why the JVM can't properly keep itself up to date either is a total mystery.