finding out the java version
 

How do i find out my java version?

I saw something that said

# java --version

but it does not like it.

I think you have too many dashes - have you tried java -version instead?

java -version
bash: java: command not found

Looks like you don't have Java installed. If you're sure you do have it installed, it must not be resident on your $PATH.

Here is what i got

find / -type f -name java 2>/dev/null
/usr/java/jre1.5.0_06/bin/java
/usr/java/jdk1.5.0_06/bin/java
/usr/java/jdk1.5.0_06/jre/bin/java

ANd

whereis java
java: /etc/java /usr/share/java

Then I'm guessing that running /usr/java/jdk1.5.0_06/bin/java -version will return something similar to:
Which one you run probably doesn't matter, although I'd expect if you're writing code you'll be interested in the stuff under /usr/java/jdk1.5.0_06. You could add environment variables to your ~/.bash_profile file like these:
Hope that helps...

What I am trying to install is FREEMIND, which needs SUN or BLACKDOWN's >=1.4, but it cannot find it an fails to install.

Yes I get this returned

java version "1.5.0_06"
Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.5.0_06-b05)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.5.0_06-b05, mixed mode, sharing)

I haven't used FREEMIND, but its docs should tell you which environment variables it needs set. Modifying your path with the following should at least let the install start:

ok, so where do I put this information? Me new to that depth of config.

is this in bash_profile?

Yes, if you add it to the .bash_profile file in your home directory, it will be available every time you login. You can type it into a terminal window and it will affect everything you do in that terminal window, it just won't be a permanent change.

Hmmm

here is what I have in there now

# .bash_profile

# Get the aliases and functions
if [ -f ~/.bashrc ]; then
. ~/.bashrc
fi

# User specific environment and startup programs

PATH=$PATH:$HOME/bin

export PATH
unset USERNAME

so do I just add these lines, like so?

# .bash_profile

# Get the aliases and functions
if [ -f ~/.bashrc ]; then
. ~/.bashrc
fi

# User specific environment and startup programs

PATH=$PATH:$HOME/bin

export PATH
unset USERNAME

export JAVA_HOME=/usr/java/jdk1.5.0_06
export PATH=$PATH:$JAVA_HOME/bin


It seems like there could be a collision with the $PATH variable

hey i took what you gave me and what I found on the freemind site and got it working.

Thanks for you help!!!

Congratulations - I'm glad it's working :)

If you have several users on your system, you need to set the JAVA_HOME and its path globally. This can be done by using a script such as the one below, placing it in /etc/profile.d and making it executable.
/opt/java is where my java jdk is installed, so you would have to edit the paths so that they are the same as the ones on your machine.