Apple updates Java, changes time

Apple has released a pair of updates for running Java on Mac OS X 10.3 and 10.4 and also changed the way Macs handle US Daylight Savings Time.

A 38-MB download, Java for Mac OS X 10.3 Update 5 adds support for the latest Daylight Saving Time (DST) and time zone information as of January 8. This release updates Java 1.4.2 to version 1.4.2_12 and addresses a problem where some Java applications fail to launch.

Java for Mac OS X 10.4 Release 5 is an 83-MB download. It also adds support for the latest Daylight Saving Time (DST) and time zone information as of January 8. It also offers improved reliability and compatibility for Java Platform, Standard Edition 5.0 and Java 1.4 on Mac OS X 10.4.8 and later.

Both Java updates are designed to complement two additional updates that support recent changes in the way Daylight Saving Time will be observed in the U.S. and Canada beginning in March 2007.

Daylight Saving Time Update (Tiger, 8.6MB) and Daylight Saving Time Update (Panther, 4.3MB) address these new rules for North American time and also includes the latest time zone information for the rest of the world.

These time updates address changes in the date at which several countries and regions observe Daylight Saving Time. In the U.S., all states except Arizona and Hawaii will begin observing Daylight Saving Time on March 11. Many provinces in Canada will also adjust their DST observance, as will some states and provinces in other countries.

Most of these changes are already addressed within Mac OS X 10.4.5, but these updates ratify that support and also include rule changes for Australia, Brazil, the province of Alberta, Canada and several other regions, the company explains.