I've been searching like mad for a way to install java in my Firefox browser in Ubuntu/Kubuntu. Finally found a good method, so I thought I'd share it here to save others from the same grief. These are instructions for newbies, so anyone should be able to do this.
I did this via Synaptic (which I installed via kynaptic, in Kubuntu).
METHOD 1 (most current version of Java for Ubuntu):
In Synaptic, go: Settings>Repositories>select: New
Add...
URI:
http://backports.ubuntuforums.org/backports
Distribution: hoary-backports
Section(s): main universe multiverse restricted
Click "ok"
Hit the green "Reload" icon in the main toolbar.
Click "Search" icon in the main toolbar and then paste and search for: sun-j2re1.5
When the package appears, you're half way there. You've successfully added the repository and found the package. Now it's time to install it.
Click the sun-j2re1.5 package and select "mark for installation." This will also automatically add other required packages. Follow the steps to download.
It may take a while to download, as it's 29mb.
Once done, restart your Firefox browser and you now have java installed!
METHOD 2: (try this only if Method 1 doesn't work as it's java 1.4 from Debian but it works in hoary)
In Synaptic, go: Settings>Repositories>select: New
Add...
URI:
ftp://ftp.tux.org/java/debian/
Distribution: sarge
Section(s): non-free
Click: Ok
Hit the green "Reload" icon in the main toolbar.
You'll get a GPG key error, which is okay (I don't know the steps to import the GPG key, but it didn't seem to matter.)
Click "Search" icon in the main toolbar and then paste and search for: j2re1.4
When the package appears, you're half way there. You've successfully added the repository and found the package. Now it's time to install it.
Click the j2re1.4 package and select "mark for installation." This will also automatically add the java-common package, which is required. Follow the steps to download.
It may take a while to download. j2re1.4 is 22.5mb. java-common is 68.1kb.
Once downloaded, you'll see it installing from the same Synaptic download window.
** This is important **
Click: Terminal. This will show a mini-view of console in Synaptic. Accept the Java user agreement by clicking "ok" and then follow the sequence of steps in the java agreement process in the mini-console.
Once done, restart your Firefox browser and you now have java installed!
Note: there are a number of methods out there on how to do this. Others didn't work for me, but these methods did. So, whatever does the trick for you...
