Java has been in the news this year because of some 'zero day' vulnerabilities exploited by malware writers. The name was changed for marketing reasons that disgraced both the companies involved, neither of which survived. JavaScript was originally developed by a different company (Netscape) under a different name (LiveScript). Note that Java has nothing to do with JavaScript, which is another language used to develop websites and apps.
It's the 'client-side' Java running via web browser plug-ins that is not safe.
Many companies have used the Java language to develop business applications that run on servers, and this 'server-side' Java is safe. If you are a business user, you may not have a choice.
If you are a typical home user, you can probably do without it. I think everyone should uninstall Java from all their PCs and Macs, and then think carefully about whether they need to add it back. Should I really remove Java from all my Windows 7 machines running MSE and Chrome?
