Eclipse Helios and Java 1.6u21 deadlocks

I wanted to write a post about the new Eclipse Helios, which was just released to participate in the Helios Blogathon. So, on my personal machine, I installed the newest JDK (1.6u21), the new eclipse, started it up, tried to work with it and after a few seconds.... It just hangs!

But whait - it worked nicely on my work machine, so what's the deal? Did I install the wrong plug-ins? Tried to open up the wrong editor? I had the same problem on my work machine (Windows 7 x64 with the newest Java 64 bit (1.6u21)). On this machine I fixed it using the 32 bit Java version instead (which just happend to be 1.6u20).

After spending several hours with several 32 and 64 bit versions of Eclipse and Java, I found the deadly combination. It is:

• Windows 7 x64 (may be unrelated to the problem)
• Java 1.6 u 21
• Eclipse Helios

The fix? Get an older Java Version - which is not simple - if you try to get an older version of Java, Oracle asks you to register and wants your email address. They don't tell you that there is a public archive of older Java versions. Why should they? You always want the latest version, right? Even if this means your Eclipse Helios session is limited to 5 seconds.

Helios now runs fine on an Jdk 1.5, with a separate JDK 1.6 installed to actually run my apps.

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Update: 11 days after my post Slashdot has some more information: Oracles Java Company Change Breaks Eclipse. Also, there is Bug 6969236.

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Why (not) 64 bit

Why 64 Bit Windows

Most chosen actual reason:

• Because you payed a lot of money for that new 64 bit processor and feel cheated if you don't use it

Technical Reasons

• You really have an Applications which needs more than 4 GB of memory. (In most cases: You don't, unless you run a large database or huge self-written scientific applications). Use the system profiler to find out how much memory you actually need.)

• Your System has more than 3,5 GB of memory (3 GB for Windows XP) and you actually need it.

Why not 64 Bit Windows

• Because you don't need it (see above)

• Drivers support is incomplete

• Some applications don't work

• Many programs are installed twice: in the 32bit and 64bit versions, and some plugins work in one, but not the other. Notable Examples: Internet Explorer, Firefox, Explorer

Biggest Myth

• a 64 bit OS is not faster than a 32 bit OS!

Please note: Most of this is also true for 64 bit Linux.