Someone should automate the cycling process so the user's time isn't wasted as well. Some audio recordings and a chatbot might actually be enough given how formulaic such interactions are.

Yeah it’s a mess, when you’re on Linux you buy Java initially without caring much, then you are in for a surprise and some interesting reads when the kids want to play with friends… I don’t understand why I can’t just have both on the same account, prevent the unpleasant surprises. I mean it’s the same game (from the outside).

Well, if your kids are slightly older, you have the opposite problem: everyone older than 12-13 tends to want to play on Java. My oldest is right on the cusp where his friend group is split down the middle.

It's super dumb.

I have had Bedrock kids over and they crossplayed with my Java kids using GeyserMC [0] on my server, which tickles the inner nerd, but there are always minor glitches.

[0]: https://geysermc.org/

We currently use the linux minecraft launcher which has worked pretty well up to now running bedrock on linux. It's the best bedrock experience, but this change is concerning.

So I just got the message that I’m getting bedrock for free with Java, that’s nice! What launcher are you using exactly?

This [1] here. Sadly, the maintainer has had enough. It still works for the latest minecraft I think. It runs so nicely on linux - far more processor efficient than the java version, and runs even better than bedrock on Win10. I'll be sad when it stops working, but will probably just 'hold' on an old minecraft version at that point.

[1] https://mcpelauncher.readthedocs.io/en/latest/getting_starte...

Why would they suddenly want to play on Java? Is it the mods?

Mods is part of it, but the biggest reason my 12 year-old insisted on switching to Java is because he says redstone behaves differently.

He'd try to recreate a cool build he saw in a book or online, and get super frustrated when it just wouldn't work in Bedrock edition.

However, I feel that also highlights the importance of network effects. There's a huge amount of content in guide books, wikis, online tutorials, YouTube channels, etc., and the majority of it is targeted at Java edition.

Probably because the older version is Java, so if you grew up being intrroduced by people older than you, the Java would have more staying power.

Wait - it's not Java anymore? Can people still self-host servers?

I checked out of Minecraft in like 2012.

You can host Bedrock servers, in fact, it is a single argument in my docker-compose.yaml to flip between a Java or a Bedrock server [0]. Not sure about the plug-in situation.

[0]: https://github.com/itzg/docker-minecraft-server

The cross platform (as in consoles) Version is written in C++ called bedrock edition, but they are both still actively developed on.