On 1/29/2016 4:29 PM, BLFS Trac wrote:
What I read is that 8u71 has security fixes, but not 8u72, which they told
to be ''improvements''.
Not exactly. The Java release schedule is an odd duck. The way they are
releasing the distributed binaries now is that odd number update (on
release schedule) is a CPU (critical patch update), which is security
patches and regression fixes to the previous PSU (patch set update).
PSUs are the even numbered updates, which is the previous CPU update
revision +1 and includes the security fixes in that CPU. PSUs are
feature changes and enhancements - and aren't usually pushed to java.com
(binary release for regular users) for a while after release (if at all).
This explains the CPU vs PSU releases:
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/cpu-psu-explained-2331472.html
As to the CPU release schedule and planning (and lately PSU, with its
CPU+1 update):
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/alerts-086861.html
This partially explains the oddball release numbering:
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/overview/jdk-version-number-scheme-1918258.html
There was a post on the old -dev list that explained it in more detail,
but I'm unable to find it right now.
In addition to all of that, they have even by 20 (20, 40, 60, 80) for
"Limited" (off cycle updates). And finally, all other numbers in the
space are reserved for special updates, usually for particularly nasty
bugs or security flaws. 7u7, 7u17 and 7u67 were the last three (though
67 is listed as Limited on the history, think this is a typo), haven't
been any for 8 yet. See a pattern there? :-)
https://www.java.com/en/download/faq/release_dates.xml
As to which version to use...I keep my Windows clients who use JRE/JDK
on the CPU releases (and disable automatic updates and deploy via GPO or
like) unless a new feature or bug fix is needed (which has yet to happen).
All that said, given the audience, I think PSU/Limited/Special is the
correct release for BLFS. These designations do not mean unstable, just
newer and not largely tested in the wild (but still tested pretty
thoroughly, at least among the java devs).
HTH
-- DJ
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