On the surface, removing Java from Windows XP looks like a blow to Sun, cutting off an important distribution channel for Java.

In response Sun released Java for Windows, got into a licensing deal with Microsoft, and advertised Java as the write once, run everywhere target of choice for developers.

Meanwhile, in what led to Sun's $1 billion antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft, the Redmond, Wash. software giant modified Java for Windows.

Back-end computers are more likely to use Windows alternatives like Linux and Sun's Solaris, playing into Java's strengths of platform neutrality.

Windows users can check for the program in the Add/Remove Programs listing in Windows, or visit Java.com and click the “Do I have Java?” link on the homepage.

Oracle is now giving Mac users the ability to get Java updates at the same time as they are available for Windows and Linux with the release of the Java SE 7 Update 4.

Java installs perfectly fine on Windows 10 running on non-Apple hardware. As such for the windows specialist guy I contacted before I posted here, the issue is considered a Mac issue and he could ...

Java is multiplatform. It runs on an abstraction called the virtual machine (VM). The VM is code written in C, which allows the same Java code to run on Windows, Linux, Solaris, or even a cell ...