FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.4.0"
Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.4.0-b92)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.4.0-b92, mixed mode)


FULL OPERATING SYSTEM VERSION :
Mandrake Cooker
glibc-2.2.4-25mdk
2.4.18-16mdk

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
As outlined on:
http://forum.java.sun.com/thread.jsp?forum=30&thread=240173

Please provide a version of the Java plugin compatible with
a gcc3-compiled Mozilla.

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
1. install a gcc3-compiled build of Mozilla
2. install java plugin 1.4
3. Start mozilla

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
Expected: Mozilla starts and Java plugin works
Actual: Mozilla starts, gives mentioned error message on the
console and Java plugin is not loaded

ERROR MESSAGES/STACK TRACES THAT OCCUR :
For completeness, here is the console output:

LoadPlugin: failed to initialize shared library
/usr/java/j2sdk1.4.0/jre/plugin/i386/ns610/libjavaplugin_oji140.so
[/usr/java/j2sdk1.4.0/jre/plugin/i386/ns610/libjavaplugin_oji140.so: undefined
 customer : GetGlobalServiceManager__16nsServiceManagerPP17nsIServiceManager]


This bug can be reproduced always.

CUSTOMER WORKAROUND :
Please refer to
http://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=124006 for a
discussion of this issue.
(Review ID: 146756) 
======================================================================

N/A

We do not support Mozilla
  xxxxx@xxxxx   2002-05-22

We need to build two version of OJI plugin due to SuSe8.1 release which ships the 3.2 compiled Mozilla.

  xxxxx@xxxxx   2003-03-13

For Solaris Sparc, Java Plug-in is compiled with Forte compiler, not gcc. And we only support browser compiled with the same compiler which Sun Mozilla currently does.

We don't feel there is a need to support Mozilla browser compiled with different compiler.


  xxxxx@xxxxx   2003-08-22

  xxxxx@xxxxx   2003-08-22

That's the same lame argument used for the Linux java plugin until 
we then did a turnaround and started producing gcc 2.95/gcc 3.x plugin
versions. Whilst it is fine to expect internally that we compile Forte
only mozilla versions, we cannot expect the opensource community to do the
same most of whom only have gcc as a compiler since Forte costs $$$. 
Are we going to provide nightly Forte compiled builds on mozilla.org ?
Looks like we're willing to take mozilla and base our browser offering on
it but unwilling to give back.

This is not a question of supporting just Mozilla, but of
supporting Linux and its associated development tools as a
platform for Java in general. Not fixing this will not help
the acceptance of Java in the Linux community IMHO.

This isn't just a mozilla support issue. If Netscape start
building Netscape 7.0 with a later gcc for Linux that too
will break. Basically any gcc3 compiled program that uses
the plugin will fail.

The source of this problem is that how GCC creates class 
method names. Old GCC
(before 3.0) uses prefix "__vt_" and GCC 3.0.x uses "_ZTV" 
instead.I thing u only need to recompile java, such that 
it support it . It's important, because there will be more 
and more people using gcc3 ... :-)

"We do not support Mozilla" is a terrible answer.  I really
hope that this evaluation will be reconsidered.

I find it very disapointing that Sun is imposing a
specific compiler version for the JRE package.
This is not a Mozilla issue, its what tools are required
for any application program to use the JRE package.
Are there any other options than GCC 2.95?  
Does Sun's own Workshop work?

No it is a Mozilla issue in that Mozilla's answer to
compatability of the plugin interface has always been,
"Those interfaces arn't final until the product ships and we
can and do change them at will".  They are perfectly within
their right to say this, but it makes support of Mozilla
impossible given the long lead times inherent in the release
of the JRE/plugin.  Maybe that situation will change now
that 1.0 has shipped.  

To further complicate matters, Netscape shipped product
based on these changable interfaces.  Since the two browsers
are not compatable and we don't have the resources to
support each version of Netscape and every version of
pre-release Mozilla, we had to make a choice.  That choice
was to support the released product (ie Netscape).

The most current verison of Mozilla's plugin interface is
definitly a step in the right direction.  It eliminates the
use of static C++ symbols which should make the choice of
compiler a non-issue.

So what Sun is saying when it says they don't support
Mozilla is:  "We expect the two browsers, Netscape and
Mozilla, to provide bug for bug compatable plugin
interfaces.  To the extent that they don't we will choses to
support Netscape."

I urge the user community to push both Netscape and Mozilla
to keep their plugin intefaces in sync.

You can rebuild the JDK with gcc-3.1 for example and the
plugin works again in Mozilla.

How can I recompile the JDK?? All I find on Sun's web page
is binaries....

I managed to get the jdk compiled from source on a gcc3
system. Check out
<http://hints.linuxfromscratch.org/hints/javafromscratch.txt>
for the howto.

Let's see, the next versions of Mandrake and Redhat will
have their apps compiled with the latest stable compiler
(GCC 3.X). 

So essentially you are saying you refuse to support nearly
50% of the Linux community?  More and more distros will be
switching to GCC 3.X so unless you plan for Java to run on
nothing, you should address this problem now.

That's a pretty silly attitude. Call it Netscape 6.x if you
want. Just fix it.

I can't believe on this 
Most of linux community is moving for gcc 3.X and above
should not sun include supports for it ?? 

I really wish you guys to reconsider this subject 

With Mandrake 9.0 now you should reconsider this decision.
You're locking out one of the largets Linux user bases.

I find this to be a rather sad decision since that is an
inflexible microsoft
attitude you made.

My vote goes to ReOpen the bug and correct the situation.

Please SUN,

Please release a version compiled with a MODERN version of GCC

What distros use gcc 3.2 :

Suse 8.1
Mandrake 9.0
Redhat 8.0

Upcoming Linux Distrous using gcc 3.2 :
Slackware 9.0

Say %80-90 of Linux  community cant use java!

With the latest Linux distros - it is simply unwise to
ignore gcc3. Does sun want to support debian only? I can bet
- very soon even Netscape for Linux will be gcc3-built...

Even though:

1) We don't support Mozilla, at this time.
and
2) If we did support it, it would be the pre-built verison
on the mozilla.org website (which BTW works with the current
plugin).

 We have been working to address this problem, by removing
all the uses of static C++ symbols from the 1.4.2 plugin.

This problem is bigger than Mozilla. Failure to work with
Mozilla is just a symptom.

Try linking to the Sun JVM a C++ program built with gcc3
that does a dynamic_cast. It will crash, because the Sun
code links to a stale libstdc++. The Sun libraries cannot
reliably be used with C++ projects that use a modern version
of gcc.

Until Sun starts shipping binaries built with a fresher
compiler, the best option I see is to use gcj.

So while Sun is busy suing Micrisoft ove them not 
including the JVM with windows to which in my opinion MSFT 
has all the right to, Sun refused to support the people 
who support them the most.  This is rich, perhaps I will 
write a plugin and get Microsoft to distribute is as well 
when they refuse I will claim damages.  A clearcut example 
of misplaced effort coupled with a pathetic marketing 
strategy. 

Why don't you support Mozilla -- it is still the best
browser around (except possibly for Safari). 

besides, this is not a Mozilla problem bu a gcc-3.0 problem. 

This is completely unbelievable.  Now I have to decide
between Redhat and Java?  Well, very soon, the decision will
have to be to move to RedHat 8.0 and if Sun can't keep up,
then so be it.  This has to be one of the biggest oversites
I have seen in recent years.

Well I'm stuck too and I'm trying to run mozilla on a SUN
SPARC machine running SOLARIS....

All the official builds enable CTL (Complex Text Layout),
which badly breaks all text entry when lines are wrapped,
and has done for ages (1.2???).

So I can either build Mozilla 1.4 using gcc 3.3, with CTL
turned off, but then I can't use Java...

Or I can use the official build, BUT WE CAN NOT DEPLOY that
to anyone else because the average use can not live with
broken email support (due to the text wrapping bugs...)

I am trying to rebuild my own java using gcc 3.3, but 

1) I can  only download old source (ie. 1.4.1, not 1.4.2)
2) The build env, is very complex, and really wants the user
to use Forte on suns....

Maybe I should give up and use netscape 4 and citrix to get
IE from a  remote windows box....