Don't install Java apps from the Ubuntu repository, if you want to use Sun's JVM
Now that Ubuntu Dapper supports Sun's JVM directly, it would be nice to install things like Tomcat the same way. So let's try this:
sns@testbed:/opt$ sudo apt-get install tomcat5 Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree... Done The following extra packages will be installed: ant apache2-common apache2-utils fastjar gcj-4.1-base gij-4.1 java-gcj-compat libapr0 libbcel-java libcommons-beanutils-java libcommons-collections-java libcommons-collections3-java libcommons-dbcp-java libcommons-digester-java libcommons-el-java libcommons-fileupload-java libcommons-launcher-java libcommons-logging-java libcommons-modeler-java libcommons-pool-java libexpat1 libgcj-common libgcj7 libgcj7-jar libgnucrypto-java libjaxp1.2-java libjessie-java liblog4j1.2-java libmx4j-java libpcre3 libregexp-java libservlet2.3-java libservlet2.4-java libtomcat5-java libxerces2-java openssl ssl-cert Suggested packages: ant-doc apache2-doc lynx www-browser gcj-4.1 libgcj7-awt libbcel-java-doc libcommons-beanutils-java-doc libcommons-collections-java-doc libcommons-collections3-java-doc lib32gcj7-dbg jython libxerces2-java-doc ca-certificates libapache-mod-jk libapache2-mod-jk tomcat5-webapps tomcat5-admin Recommended packages: ant-optional ecj-bootstrap ecj java-compiler libgcj7-src The following NEW packages will be installed: ant apache2-common apache2-utils fastjar gcj-4.1-base gij-4.1 java-gcj-compat libapr0 libbcel-java libcommons-beanutils-java libcommons-collections-java libcommons-collections3-java libcommons-dbcp-java libcommons-digester-java libcommons-el-java libcommons-fileupload-java libcommons-launcher-java libcommons-logging-java libcommons-modeler-java libcommons-pool-java libexpat1 libgcj-common libgcj7 libgcj7-jar libgnucrypto-java libjaxp1.2-java libjessie-java liblog4j1.2-java libmx4j-java libpcre3 libregexp-java libservlet2.3-java libservlet2.4-java libtomcat5-java libxerces2-java openssl ssl-cert tomcat5 0 upgraded, 38 newly installed, 0 to remove and 7 not upgraded. Need to get 15.3MB/25.4MB of archives. After unpacking 60.5MB of additional disk space will be used. Do you want to continue [Y/n]?
If you go ahead here, you will see this next:
Adding system user `tomcat5'... Adding new user `tomcat5' (104) with group `nogroup'. Not creating home directory `/usr/share/tomcat5'. Installing /var/lib/tomcat5/webapps/ROOT/WEB-INF/web.xml. Installing /var/lib/tomcat5/conf/tomcat-users.xml. Installing /var/lib/tomcat5/conf/jk2.properties Could not start Tomcat 5 servlet engine because no Java Development Kit (JDK) was found. Please download and install JDK 1.3 or higher and set JAVA_HOME in /etc/default/tomcat5 to the JDK's installation directory.
And you will find that Sun's JVM is no longer in the PATH. Instead you will be using the GNU JVM. What you will find though is this:
sns@testbed:/usr/share/java$ ls ant-1.6.jar commons-fileupload-1.0.jar jsse.jar ant-bootstrap.jar commons-fileupload.jar libgcj-4.1.0.jar ant.jar commons-launcher-1.1.jar libgcj-4.1.jar ant-launcher.jar commons-launcher.jar log4j-1.2.12.jar bcel-5.1.jar commons-logging-1.0.4.jar log4j-1.2.jar bcel.jar commons-logging-api-1.0.4.jar mx4j-2.1.1.jar commons-beanutils-1.7.0.jar commons-logging-api.jar mx4j-impl-2.1.1.jar commons-beanutils.jar commons-logging.jar mx4j-impl.jar commons-collections-2.1.1.jar commons-modeler-1.1.jar mx4j.jar commons-collections3-3.1.jar commons-modeler.jar mx4j-jmx-2.1.1.jar commons-collections3.jar commons-pool-1.2.jar mx4j-jmx.jar commons-collections.jar commons-pool.jar regexp-1.4.jar commons-dbcp-1.2.1.jar gnu-crypto.jar regexp.jar commons-dbcp.jar javax-crypto.jar servlet-2.3.jar commons-digester-1.7.jar javax-security.jar servlet-api-2.4.jar commons-digester.jar jaxp-1.2.jar servlet-api.jar commons-el-1.0.jar jsp-api-2.0.jar xercesImpl.jar commons-el.jar jsp-api.jar xmlParserAPIs.jar
In general that's not a bad idea to make Java applications and libraries be more tightly integrated into the operating system. But as long as the distribution sooner or later will change the JVM and install potentially unwanted code this is not usable in a production environment.
Fine Italian dining in Panama
Last night we dined European style. I really have to say European style, because everything in the restaurant was made in a way that you would have believed to be in Italy or the southern part of Switzerland where they speak Italian. Spaghueteria Caffé Pomodoro is located on Via Veneto and without knowing about it you certainly would miss it. From the street it looks like a tiny restaurant, that offers nothing special, with only a few little tables crammed into what looks like a corner shop. But once you enter you will see an opening in the back that leads to a wonderful patio with spacious seating, nice decoration, a number of ventilators to make you forget the heat. Passing through that door in the back is like passing through a gate from Panama to Northern Italy.
As appetizer we had Insalata Mixta and Insalata Caprese followed by Penne Arrabiata and salmon with some pasta on the side. We drank half a liter of red wine, which is fine for the two of us, and finished with Tiramisu and a wonderful Apple pie with some vanilla ice-cream on top of it. Together with a cup of Cappuccino that was the perfect closing of our meal.
The check came up to about $56 for two persons. That's quite expensive here in this city, but on the other hand the quality served definitely was worth it. We enjoyed the fast and perfect service, the overall atmosphere and the music performed by a guitar player singing romantic songs.
The vanilla ice-cream was real ice-cream. I do say "real", because while we lived in Florida we had a hard time to find ice-cream with a good taste and a creamy feel. I don't want to offend anybody, but either it was far too sweat or it felt more like crushed ice than ice-cream.
A few days back we ate in another Italian styled restaurant and I had Insalta Caprese as well. But there they used some yellow cheese instead of Mozzarella and put ham between the tomato slices. So it wasn't exactly what you would expect from Insalata Caprese. Let's say that was more a Latin version of this Italian appetizer.