We would like to have a defined repositrary for optional packages, or extensions that is independant of the jre.
for this we need another way to identify an extension, other than the web addresses of the extensions jnlp file.

N/A

Overlapped with the Distribution Format and Repository effort. Defer to future releases.

  xxxxx@xxxxx   2004-12-02 19:09:54 GMT
The repository will be delivered as part of #6440734: JSR-277: Java Module System.
Posted Date : 2006-06-20 03:32:09.0

Hey, when will this bug be fixed?
I really need this enhancement. I cannot find it in JSR.

When is this going to be resolved.  Makes it kind of hard to 
use extensions with Web Start, if you aren't going to allow us 
to execute uninstall routines like the specification mentions.

This is realy something we MUST have for tiger !

Any extension should be identified by an unique ID
(like a package name for instance).

Before downloading a package JWS should also ask using a
rendez-vous service if such a package is available localy.
If so, then, instead of downloading from the server it
download from the "local" (or global) cache. 

Hence, it both reduce the load on download site and improve
download time (as most of the JNLP site have little bandwidth).

I agree, it's a MUST have !

For example, if some JNLP file mention a set of 
ressources jars to install Java 3D (a Sun optional 
package), the developper must make,sign and host 
the jars.

Developper problems :
* Need for a code signing certificate (cost)
* Need to host the jars for all supported platforms
(bandwidth cost)
* Need to be trusted for something he didn't write
* all-permissions is needed to install native libs
* May lost the possibility to run his code in a sandbox 
(trust problem)

End-user problems:
* Must trust the developer about some application 
asking "full access to local disks and network", as 
many end users don't know anything about digital 
dignatures, this message is only about to confuse him 
and make him cancel any installation

This bug was submitted 3 1/2 years ago.  Do you have a solution yet?

Couldn't it use something similar to maven's repositories? Seems rather simple and efficient.

or OSGI plugin framework..