[jpxxx]

Apple's already removed their own JRE from default OS X installs, demand-loading it only with explicit user authorization.

Furthermore they've sent out recent security updates partially disabling applet loading in web browsers and disabling the JVM entirely if it hasn't been used in a long while.

I think that the next step of completely shuttering Apple's JRE demand-loader will be a straight-up security win for most end-users, ensuring that only those who require Java have it.

[ryannielsen]

Photoshop and other Adobe apps have components written in Java. Without Java, those components will silently fail. Thus, the on-demand Java installation hooks will be present for as long as current versions of CS are supported on OS X. For reference, Adobe CS 3, released 5 years ago, is still supported by Mountain Lion: http://www.adobe.com/products/creativesuite/faq.html#a139_12...

I suspect the on-demand Java installation process will be around for quite some time.

[jpxxx]

Ach, you're right. The extensions loader alone blows up on boot. It'd be infeasible to remove the Apple JRE from the field. So much for my pet theory.