bugGNU Octave - Bugs: bug #48187, mxe-octave: clarify installer...

 
 

bug #48187: mxe-octave: clarify installer handling of Java

Submitter:  Mike Miller <mtmiller>
Submitted:  Thu 09 Jun 2016 04:39:21 PM UTC
   
 
Category:  Documentation Severity:  2 - Minor
Priority:  5 - Normal Item Group:  Feature Request
Status:  Fixed Assigned to:  lostbard
Originator Name:  Open/Closed:  * Closed
Release:  * 4.0.2 Operating System:  * Microsoft Windows
Fixed Release:  None Planned Release:  None
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Wed 22 Jun 2016 04:33:20 PM UTC, comment #13: 

Closing as fixed

John Donoghue <lostbard>
Group Member
Sat 18 Jun 2016 11:26:56 AM UTC, comment #12: 
John Donoghue <lostbard>
Group Member
Sat 18 Jun 2016 01:06:01 AM UTC, comment #11: 

Yes please, on the stable branch if possible for a future 4.0.x installer if there is one coming.

Mike Miller <mtmiller>
Group Member
Sat 18 Jun 2016 12:57:25 AM UTC, comment #10: 

Want me to push up the change based on comment #8 ?

John Donoghue <lostbard>
Group Member
Thu 16 Jun 2016 02:35:15 AM UTC, comment #9: 

It has my vote!

John Donoghue <lostbard>
Group Member
Thu 16 Jun 2016 01:36:31 AM UTC, comment #8: 

Yes, how about this

> Octave has the capability to call Java libraries, but the
> installer was unable to find a Java Runtime Environment (JRE)
> on this system.  Octave will still function without a JRE,
> only certain specific functions will be disabled.  If a JRE is
> installed later, Octave should be able to detect and use it
> automatically.  Continue with installation?

Mike Miller <mtmiller>
Group Member
Mon 13 Jun 2016 10:33:30 AM UTC, comment #7: 

Perhaps remove 'completely' as none of the java functions will work.

Should it also mention about being able to use java if it is installed later on?

Apart from that sounds good to me.

John Donoghue <lostbard>
Group Member
Sun 12 Jun 2016 09:46:45 PM UTC, comment #6: 

Reposting comment #2 since word-wrap didn't work too well

> Octave includes a Java integration component, but it seems
> Java is not available on this system. This component requires
> the Java Runtime Environment from Oracle (http://www.java.com)
> installed on your system. Octave can work without Java
> available, but the Java integration component will not be
> functional. Installing those components without Java
> available might prevent Octave from working correctly.
> Proceed with installation anyway?


Yes, very wordy and jargony. Also unfortunate that it recommends the user download something from Oracle, but maybe that's the only option for Windows users.

For a serious suggestion, how about something like

> Octave has the capability to call Java libraries, but the
> installer was unable to find a Java Runtime Environment (JRE)
> on this system.  Octave will still function completely
> without a JRE.  Continue with installation?

Mike Miller <mtmiller>
Group Member
Thu 09 Jun 2016 11:49:53 PM UTC, comment #5: 

Or, could just refer to Kahan's simple summary.

Michael Godfrey <godfrey>
Group Member
Thu 09 Jun 2016 08:48:39 PM UTC, comment #4: 

hehe ... tempting!

John Donoghue <lostbard>
Group Member
Thu 09 Jun 2016 08:45:06 PM UTC, comment #3: 

Perhaps the following

"Congratulations, you have made a wise choice by not having Java installed!"

??

John W. Eaton <jwe>
Group administrator
Thu 09 Jun 2016 08:40:19 PM UTC, comment #2: 

Just for completeness, the current message shown by the installer is:


Octave includes a Java integration component, but it seems Java is not available on this system. This component requires the Java Runtime Environment from Oracle (http://www.java.com) installed on your system. Octave can work without Java available, but the Java integration component will not be functional. Installing those components without Java available might prevent Octave from working correctly. Proceed with installation anyway?


Very wordy.


And it also shows the exclamation ! icon on the dialog - perhaps reword and change the message type to informational ?

Any preference from on what it should say?

John Donoghue <lostbard>
Group Member
Thu 09 Jun 2016 04:49:09 PM UTC, comment #1: 

See this unofficial web page for an example of misunderstanding:

http://www.frad.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp/public/octave/octave_install.html.en

The page says

> The Java runtime environment is required for the GUI version of
> Octave. A warning will appear during the installation when it
> was not found. You may ignore it if you only need the CLI
> version.

Mike Miller <mtmiller>
Group Member
Thu 09 Jun 2016 04:39:21 PM UTC, original submission:  

There was a little discussion on #octave today about the handling of the Java runtime in the Windows installer. There are a couple issues worth addressing, maybe by just rewording the warning message that is shown.

  • There is a perception by some users that Java is required for the Octave GUI, and not being able to find Java means that the GUI won't work at all.


  • The warning message as its worded now seems a little more scary than it actually is, maybe make it more clear that most of Octave will work just fine without Java. Novices may wonder what the "Java integration component" is and how important it is.


  • Maybe even mention if the user chooses to install anyway, that Octave can still use Java if a JRE is installed later.


Marked as a documentation issue, but please someone also test that you can actually fully install Octave with the official installer and no JRE present and everything will work fine.

If that's still the case, then all the behavior is fine, this is just about how to make the installer a little less scary.

Mike Miller <mtmiller>
Group Member

 

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    Follow 5 latest changes.

    Date Changed by Updated Field Previous Value => Replaced by
    2016-06-22 lostbard StatusReady For Test Fixed
        Open/ClosedOpen Closed
    2016-06-18 lostbard StatusIn Progress Ready For Test
    2016-06-18 lostbard StatusNone In Progress
        Assigned toNone lostbard

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