Linux - Install Java

[nvening]

I have unbuntu and i am trying to insall java using these instructions

http://java.com/en/download/help/5000010500.xml#install

the problem is, when i try to enter the password, nothing comes up on screen (no *s or the actual word) and if i try to press enter to see if it has infact entered it it just says authentification has failed.

[directhex]

right. firstly, ubuntu doesn't have a root account - if you want a root terminal, use 'sudo bash' and type YOUR password.

secondly, installers like sun's don't work very well - they overwrite system files without asking, and usually don't set things up correctly for any distribution other than Red Hat Enterprise from a few years ago. ubuntu (via debian) offers a program called make-jpkg which takes the .bin and transforms it into a working .deb package - which you can then install with 'dpkg -i thefileyoumade.deb'

do this by:

1) as root, open /etc/apt/sources.list in an editor (e.g. nano /etc/apt/sources.list), and uncomment the lines relating to the 'universe' and 'multiverse' package repositories - this enables you to install more software
2) as root, run 'aptitude update' to download a list of all the latest packages (including those on the repositories you just enabled)
3) as root, run 'aptitude install fakeroot java-package java-common' to get the required utilities
4) as a regular user, run 'fakeroot make-jpkg thefilefromsun.bin'
5) install the new .deb file as root with 'dpkg -i sunwhatever.deb'

java's not actually in most linux distributions already due to restrictive licensing from sun

oh, and do NOT touch anything with 'rpm' in the name, it's for redhat

[GDVS]

oh, and do NOT touch anything with 'rpm' in the name, it's for redhat

Or Mandriva or Suse and that's just the ones from the top ten. I also believe it's possible to install the Sun Java RPM on Breezy using alien but I gather some messing around is required.

Really I'm just posting this for completeness, the official method you posted is by far the better option

[nvening]

You say uncommet, do what? sorry

I google it but could not find anything of use to me, there does not seem to be any keyboard shortcut set up for commenting.

this is all new to me, thanks

[chrestomanci]

The '#' symbols at the start of the lines denote comments.

You will find some code lines in the file that are 'commented out' by putting '#' at the start. If you delete those #'s then the lines will become active.

If you use a more advanced editor such as kate then the comment lines will show in a different colour, usualy grey or green.

[nvening]

For the lines with two #s, do i delete both or just one?

How do i delete them, cause highlighting them and pressing backspace does not work.

thanks

[directhex]

sounds like you need something clicky. use gedit instead of nano.

and the lines should look as follows:

## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from the 'universe'
## repository.
## N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu
## team, and may not be under a free licence. Please satisfy yourself as to
## your rights to use the software. Also, please note that software in
## universe WILL NOT receive any review or updates from the Ubuntu security
## team.
# deb http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu breezy universe
# deb-src http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu breezy universe

## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from the 'backports'
## repository.
## N.B. software from this repository may not have been tested as
## extensively as that contained in the main release, although it includes
## newer versions of some applications which may provide useful features.
## Also, please note that software in backports WILL NOT receive any review
## or updates from the Ubuntu security team.
# deb http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu breezy-backports main restricted universe multiverse
# deb-src http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu breezy-backports main restricted universe multiverse

deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu breezy-security main restricted
deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu breezy-security main restricted

# deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu breezy-security universe
# deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu breezy-security universe

remove the # from the start of the lines to uncomment them:

## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from the 'universe'
## repository.
## N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu
## team, and may not be under a free licence. Please satisfy yourself as to
## your rights to use the software. Also, please note that software in
## universe WILL NOT receive any review or updates from the Ubuntu security
## team.
deb http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu breezy universe
deb-src http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu breezy universe

## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from the 'backports'
## repository.
## N.B. software from this repository may not have been tested as
## extensively as that contained in the main release, although it includes
## newer versions of some applications which may provide useful features.
## Also, please note that software in backports WILL NOT receive any review
## or updates from the Ubuntu security team.
deb http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu breezy-backports main restricted universe multiverse
deb-src http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu breezy-backports main restricted universe multiverse

deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu breezy-security main restricted
deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu breezy-security main restricted

deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu breezy-security universe
deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu breezy-security universe

actually, on reflection, those lines aren't quite complete. see some lines end only with 'universe' (e.g. deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu breezy-security universe)

change those to 'universe multiverse':

## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from the 'universe'
## repository.
## N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu
## team, and may not be under a free licence. Please satisfy yourself as to
## your rights to use the software. Also, please note that software in
## universe WILL NOT receive any review or updates from the Ubuntu security
## team.
deb http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu breezy universe multiverse
deb-src http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu breezy universe multiverse

## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from the 'backports'
## repository.
## N.B. software from this repository may not have been tested as
## extensively as that contained in the main release, although it includes
## newer versions of some applications which may provide useful features.
## Also, please note that software in backports WILL NOT receive any review
## or updates from the Ubuntu security team.
deb http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu breezy-backports main restricted universe multiverse
deb-src http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu breezy-backports main restricted universe multiverse

deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu breezy-security main restricted
deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu breezy-security main restricted

deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu breezy-security universe multiverse
deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu breezy-security universe multiverse

[ikonia]

or he could read the basic ubuntu docs......I find it pretty useful to know how to login to a box properly before trying to do stuff like installing java

[nvening]

Ok, i have done that, now what do i do cause you said dont use that installer?

[aidanjt]

You could check if ubuntu has blackdown java, its a proper open source JVM, so it wont have the same installation problems as Sun's JVM.

[nvening]

i am seriously considering scrapping linux as it has too many problems and is too much work compared to windows.

[mike_w]

Directhex's way of doing it is probably the best way, but, as said you could always try using Blackdown from a Debian repository.

Note: This may not work. Use at your own risk.

In /etc/apt/sources.list, type this line:

ftp://ftp.tux.org/java/debian/ sarge non-free

Now, at a command line, type:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install j2re1.4

As for Windows Vs. Linux... I won't get into the whole debate now, but I'll just say I prefer installing Linux over Windows. On Linux, rather than having to find all the different applications, I can install the vast majority just by typing apt-get install foo bar baz.

Edit: Having looked at the Ubuntu Wiki, it seems Blackdown is in the multiverse repository. So once you've uncommented those two lines, you should just be able to type:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install j2re1.4

[nvening]

would my linux life be easier with suse 10?

[mike_w]

would my linux life be easier with suse 10?

I personally think that SUSE 10.0 is more user friendly, but it is not worth installing it now that you've got Ubuntu installed, seeing as Ubuntu is also reasonably user friendly.

[nvening]

forget that, me being stupid

EDIT: I think there was a problem with the Unbuntu installation tho cause all the media players will not work.

[mike_w]

it says what mike_w says is invalid

Could you be a little more specific? Do you mean the Wiki, another website, the command line? What does 'it' say instead?