FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.4.2_08"
Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.4.2_08-b03)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.4.2_08-b03, mixed mode)

ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
All the java processes display 'java.exe' in the Windows task manager. This makes killing the right process very hard. Expected result is that the process name in Windows task manager be something like "Java.exe [test class]" or you offer your own program, like "javaps" in the bin directory to show more information about java processes.

This also affects Linux, but the issue isn't as bad on Linux since you can view the commandline used to run the program using native tools. In Windows, it's ridiculous that the process name isn't changed to something that better identifies what's running and effectively makes java a poor language choice for deploying more than one application on a system since you don't know what programs to kill using the standard methods provided by the operating system. Asking regular users of java-written applications, such as servers, to jump through hoops (such as getting pstools from sysinternals) in order to find the right process isn't very helpful.

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
The image name differs based on the name of the java class, OR the java sdk offers it's own tool for exploring and killing the open java processes that is available to both clients and developers.
ACTUAL -
All processes appear in task manager as "java.exe" or equivalent, making killing the right process very hard, especially if more than one java server is running on the system. This affects both users and developers.

REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
Renaming the java.exe executable to different names for each different java program to be run, or calling java from native code, and sending an executable to users.
###@###.### 2005-07-21 00:51:56 GMT