Is there a Go server that doesn't require Java?

[oren]

Java programmes require you to install a runtime environment in order to run them. This runtime environment is bundled with stuff that "phones home", automatic update services and, in the past, with blatant malware in the form of the Ask Toolbar.

There is a windows and mac package that handle just having a runtime environment for cgoban. There's nothing extra to install.

[longshanks]

Java programmes require you to install a runtime environment in order to run them. This runtime environment is bundled with stuff that "phones home", automatic update services and, in the past, with blatant malware in the form of the Ask Toolbar.

There is a windows and mac package that handle just having a runtime environment for cgoban. There's nothing extra to install.

Can you post the link to this please?

[Bonobo]

There is a windows and mac package that handle just having a runtime environment for cgoban. There's nothing extra to install.

Can you post the link to this please?

I for one don't know of a Mac KGS package that includes Java <shrug> but here are the official KGS downloads: http://www.gokgs.com/ (.exe for Windows, .dmg file for Mac, and the raw Java file).

(I prefer OGS which I can just load in a browser tab, though sometimes I visit KGS for fond memories and for watching DeepZen if it plays again.)

[longshanks]

There is a windows and mac package that handle just having a runtime environment for cgoban. There's nothing extra to install.

Can you post the link to this please?

I for one don't know of a Mac KGS package that includes Java <shrug> but here are the official KGS downloads: http://www.gokgs.com/ (.exe for Windows, .dmg file for Mac, and the raw Java file).

(I prefer OGS which I can just load in a browser tab, though sometimes I visit KGS for fond memories and for watching DeepZen if it plays again.)

And this is the rub:


From https://www.gokgs.com/
"All versions of the KGS client require you to install java first"

Yeah, no thanks!

I used Charlies method. A nice native HTML5 method would be even better. Think I've seen something about here of some Google Chrome add-on. Would be lovely if there were a Firefox version at some point. I don't know if there's any technical reason for why Google was chosen, or if it was just a preference.

[Jujube]

Can you post the link to this please?

I for one don't know of a Mac KGS package that includes Java <shrug> but here are the official KGS downloads: http://www.gokgs.com/ (.exe for Windows, .dmg file for Mac, and the raw Java file).

(I prefer OGS which I can just load in a browser tab, though sometimes I visit KGS for fond memories and for watching DeepZen if it plays again.)

And this is the rub:


From https://www.gokgs.com/
"All versions of the KGS client require you to install java first"

Yeah, no thanks!

I used Charlies method. A nice native HTML5 method would be even better. Think I've seen something about here of some Google Chrome add-on. Would be lovely if there were a Firefox version at some point. I don't know if there's any technical reason for why Google was chosen, or if it was just a preference.

As far as I was aware KGS have been offering versions for download with their own JRE for around a year now, maybe more. That's why the Mac DMG has grown to 67MB. I think this was done to stop conflicts with different JRE versions. If you download the default download links you should notice the size difference. I'm surprised no one seems to know about this?

As far as the security concerns, I disagree. Java is extremely widely used, which means it gets more press when exploits are found. I don't believe the runtime is less safe per se. There are always going to be exploits (would you argue that languages with manual pointers, manual memory allocation and manual garbage collection are safer)? Admittedly applets are well known for their leaky sandboxing, but Chrome no longer supports them at all, neither does Safari by default, and it's ultimately up to the user whether they go with it on Firefox / IE. And no-one uses applets these days anyway.

Honestly this sort of stuff drives me nuts. It's like saying you don't want to go to the music festival because heaven forbid you might meet a nice community and enjoy yourself, but let's not do it because there will be bacteria around and the ground might get a bit muddy.

[oren]

From https://www.gokgs.com/
"All versions of the KGS client require you to install java first"

Yes, that should be corrected. The mac and windows files handle the JRE for you.