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I just was prompted to update Java. It tells me:

enter image description here

Does anybody know what that "helper" tool does? If it is new I probably don't need it. Is there a way to opt out? Or at least know what it is before installing it?

Note that I already checked the option to suppress sponsor offers in the Java Control Panel under System Preferences.

enter image description here

Note also that if I don't enter the admin password, the update doesn't get installed. It is not an offer that is presented besides the update and that I can accept or reject.

If this is a bad question or the wrong place, please comment.

Here is a followup.

I got the message again and I searched for more information about it. I learned that the update process has been wrapped into an application. The applications wraps the actual package and proposes additional software. If you opt out I guess it just installs the java update.

The "new helper tool" is probably this installation wrapper, or possibly the additional software that is proposed if you don't opt out.

If you prefer to install a clean package, you can extract it form the installer. After the update downloaded, click cancel. Then go to ~/Library/Application Support/Java (~/Library is hidden, so use Go > Go to folder...). You can see there all the past java update downloads. Choose the latest version. Inside the folder you see an app and a dmg. Right-click on the app and select Show Package Contents. Inside the app go to Contents/Resources. There you find a package JavaAppletPlugin.pkg. That is the actual package. Double-click it to install. It will still ask for your name and password, but this time it is asked by OSX/macOS and used for installing that package and nothing else.

Latest update: Today the update fails. When that happens, the download is immediately removed. In that case the method above doesn't work.

This starts to look like a blog. The failing download was due to my antivirus. When I disable it it works again. Anyway I now trust the message to be harmless. It is OS X asking if I agree to run the Java installation program. It doesn't try to install anything else. I just run it.

Florian F
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  • Is there a better place to ask this question? – Florian F Jan 26 '16 at 10:49
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    I understand why this was voted as off-topic. It's not a programming problem. But it is an annoying problem with a software tool that's essential to programming (if you're programming in Java). Moreover, it's about the installation of a version that's supposed to fix several security problems in the programming tool. So ... maybe that does belong here? – Mars Jan 28 '16 at 02:44
  • As it happens, I have java 8 because I installed the JDK 8. Ordinary people (non-programmers) should have Java 6. Anyway, I downloaded the last JDK 8 and installed it. It didn't warn about a new tool, but it is possible it installed it anyway. – Florian F Jan 28 '16 at 13:46
  • The "helper tool" is not new. It is the the installer application that actually installs Java. See my SU answer [What exactly is Java's new helper tool? Updating from Java 8 update 60 to Java update 71 on a Mac](http://superuser.com/a/1035833) – DavidPostill Feb 07 '16 at 09:48
  • Thanks very much for the update; the specified method (`~/Library -> ...`) worked perfectly for me. – Kris Nuttycombe May 12 '17 at 15:52

1 Answers1

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From: https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/technotes/guides/install/mac_jre.html

Oracle has partnered with companies that offer various products. The installer may present you with the option to install these programs when you install Java.

You can disable the presentation of offers during installation by specifying the --args SPONSORS=0 option in the terminal command line. For example:

open /Volumes/Java\ 8\ Update\ 40/Java\ 8\ Update\ 40.app --args SPONSORS=0
user2821023
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  • Thanks. Does it mean that I have to manually download it first? – Florian F Jan 25 '16 at 23:29
  • This is confusing. Am I supposed to do this before I start the Java download and install, or will this disable the pernicious effects of the "helper" after it's installed. "during installation" suggests before, but it doesn't work before it's installed (the directory doesn't exist). Also note that it appears that you can do the same thing by checking the last option in the Advanced section of the Java admin app in System Preferences in OSX, but that doesn't stop the requirement to install the ... "helper". (Help me avoid the helper!) – Mars Jan 28 '16 at 02:42
  • Somehow this doesn't seem to work for me with Java 8 update 71. Anyone that had success with the specific update? (I had to manually downloaded the update.) – m000 Feb 01 '16 at 22:08
  • @Mars This answer doesn't address what the helper tool actually does. The "helper tool" is not new. It is the the installer application that actually installs Java. See my SU answer [What exactly is Java's new helper tool? Updating from Java 8 update 60 to Java update 71 on a Mac](http://superuser.com/a/1035833) – DavidPostill Feb 07 '16 at 09:50
  • I accepted the answer. From what I have learned, the "new helper tool" is the installation program. It installs the update while also offering sponsor offers. The offers can be opted out. – Florian F Mar 30 '16 at 21:36