Obtain and Install Java for Linux

The situation regarding Java is changing fast. Sun has opened sourced Java, but not all of it, nor all versions of it (Sun's Java 1.5.0 is still proprietary and not open source). Some Linux distributions now have a version of Sun's java that will run BibleDesktop. Please note that the gcj version of Java is not able to run BibleDesktop as it does not implement all of Java 1.5.0. Even this is anticipated to change.

If your distribution does not provide Java then get Sun's Java. If you are just running BibleDesktop, then get the most recent release. If you are going to help develop BibleDesktop or JSword, we target Java 1.5.0. If you are careful not to use features added after 1.5.0 you can use a more recent version. Once you obtain Sun's Java you need to install it. However, Sun's Java RPM does not install correctly. To install it correctly you will need to use JPackage's Java Package.

The following steps will allow you to install Sun's Java correctly. Below is how to install Java 1.5.

1. With these steps you will be building a RPM. So, if you have not already done so, install rpm-build.

   su -c "yum install rpm-build"

2. If you have not done so create a build tree like the following in your home directory:

           rpm
           |-- BUILD
           |-- RPMS
           |   |-- i386
           |   |-- i586
           |   `-- noarch
           |-- SOURCES
           |-- SPECS
           |-- SRPMS
           `-- tmp
       

   You can do this with the following commands:

   mkdir ~/rpm
   mkdir ~/rpm/BUILD
   mkdir ~/rpm/RPMS
   mkdir ~/rpm/RPMS/i386
   mkdir ~/rpm/RPMS/i586
   mkdir ~/rpm/RPMS/noarch
   mkdir ~/rpm/SOURCES
   mkdir ~/rpm/SPECS
   mkdir ~/rpm/SRPMS
   mkdir ~/rpm/tmp

3. Create a good .rpmmacros file:

   %_topdir        %(echo ${HOME}/rpm)
   %_tmppath       %{_topdir}/tmp
   
   # Change the following to work for you
   %packager       Firstname Lastname <your.address@here>
   
   # Uncomment to have built RPMs land in RPMS/ instead of RPMS/<arch>/
   #%_rpmfilename  %%{NAME}-%%{VERSION}-%%{RELEASE}.%%{ARCH}.rpm
   
   

4. Obtain JPackage's Java 1.5.0 Source RPM.
   Click on the link that looks something like java-1.5.0-sun-1.5.0.05-1jpp.nosrc.rpm.
   and save the file to your home directory.
   
5. Obtain the corresponding Java package from Sun. For example, if you downloaded from JPackage

   java-1.5.0-sun-1.5.0.05-1jpp.nosrc.rpm.

   then you will want to download from Sun.

   jdk-1_5_0_05-linux-i586.bin

   If this is the most recent version of Sun's Java then you can get it from:

   http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.5.0/download.jsp

   otherwise, you will need to get it from Sun's Java Product Archive:

   http://java.sun.com/products/archive

   Save this file to your ~/rpm/SOURCES.

6. Rebuild the JPackage Java 1.5.0 Source RPM.

   rpmbuild --rebuild java-1.5.0-sun-1.5.0.05-1jpp.nosrc.rpm

   There will be lots of output!

7. Install the newly created unsigned RPMs. These will be below ~/rpm/RPMS. If ~/rpm/RPMS/i586 then the command would be:

   cd ~/rpm/RPMS/i586
   su -c "yum localinstall --nogpgcheck java*.rpm"

8. Make javaws available with: (Do this if /usr/bin/javaws does not exist)

   su -c "ln -s /etc/alternatives/javaws /usr/bin/javaws"