sun jdk vs java-1.6.0-openjdk

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On 07/25/2010 01:06 AM, Jonathan Beatty wrote:
>  >    However, I am just now beginning Java programming and I am wondering 
>> if there is any substantial difference between java-1.6.0-openjdk and 
>> the sun jdk.
> 
> As a beginning programmer, no. The differences are highly technical in nature and do not show themselves early on in your endeavor as a programmer. There is a noticeable performance loss on older platforms, but that's not true on semi-modern machines, I find.
> 

 I think you can install both and use the "alternatives" mechanism to
choose which one to use.