Recently, the Fedora Packaging Committee was presented with a draft for the Java Packaging Guidelines that documented /usr/lib/java (aka "%{_jnidir}") as the target for all architecture specific JNI files, on the grounds that Java does not support multilib. Indeed, the currently packaged JVM in Fedora uses the /usr/lib directory on both x86 and x86_64.
The FPC would like for FESCo to clarify if Java (including the JVM) is exempt from Multilib. The answer to this question will help FPC to determine if universal use of /usr/lib/java for x86 and x86_64 Java packages is acceptable.
At a practical level, we have always explicitly excluded the JVM from being shipped as multilib.
Damn, I was planning to attend the FPC meeting but I couldn't set up reminder quickly because I didn't see a schedule on meeting channel [1]
Anyway. As Bill noted, we never really supported multilib in Java besides JVM itself. We have been doing half-assed job of it. EL5,6 are not mutilib aware either (jnidir is /usr/lib/java). We tried to make it multilib aware but as our guidelines draft[2] explains there is just too many "buts" and exceptions
[1] http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Meeting_channel [2] https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/User:Akurtakov/JavaPackagingDraftUpdate#Notes_on_multiarch
At today's FESCo meeting we agreed to accept this exemption.
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