I want to install staroffice and azureus. The newest azureus requires 1.42 java. Mandrake update has nothing newer than 1.2. The first question is will installing 1.42 java screw up my system or the install/uninstall/update software utility. I dont want to break the utility. Second, the instructions for the self-extracting rpm for 1.42 give a couple options for installing. One is to log in as root and install it system wide in /user/local. The other two are su to root privilages and install in /usr/java or simply install in your home directory. Since this is my machine all three of these are a possbilty. I mainly only use one user account (I am the only one who uses this computer).

If installing is not going to fubar package managment, than where would you suggest installing and why? Thanks

You won't have problems with updates - it'll be ignored. Install as root and you'll have better luck with programs finding it. That's the easy part. Your harder part will be to get Azureus working without starting it from the command line in the directory it resides (it can be done - you have to edit the <path to executable> part)

Thanks Starting from the command line is not a big deal. Maybe a shortcut could work too. The reason I picked azureus is it was recommended. I am not a real torrent pro by any streach of the imagination. If there is a better client out there which works well with KDE 3.2, than I would appreciate knowing about it. The defualt gui bittorrent client in the mandrake install packages is crude to say the least.

install it as root, and make a symlink to any application that complains about it not being available... its a simple install with the rpm..

sh java.rpm.bin # accept the liscense
rpm -i extractedjava.rpm