Is it "safe" to install Sun's Java on my brand new Windows 7 (64-bit) PC? A number of web sites, particularly broadband speed testers, seem to require it.
Dave Simpkin
I'd gladly do without Java myself, but it would mean missing out on the sites that need it, and that's a personal decision. Java also represents an added security risk, like all software. However, from Secunia's logs, it looks as though the main risk is to users who install it and then don't keep it up to date.
You can get the latest version of Java from Sun's download page at http://www.java.com/en/download/manual.jsp
Go for the minimum download and check for correct installation.
The added complication with Windows 7 is that there are separate versions of Java for 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Internet Explorer. Windows 7 ships with both, though 32-bit is the default, possibly because there is no 64-bit version of Adobe Flash. Sun has a page: Which version of Java should I download for my 64-bit Windows operating system?
