i mean, if you type it at a prompt, and hit return, there appears
a line with some text.
that's called output.

egag

What you typed at the command line looks wrong.

[root@localhost robert]# ln -s /usr/java/jr2re1.4.2_05/bin/java /usr/bin/java
[root@localhost robert]# ln -s /usr/java/jr2re1.4.2_05/bin/java/usr/bin/java

Why did you type the second line. Which did you type?

Enter this command

ls -l /usr/bin/ja*

and see what it says. If it shows a link to java, then you are OK. If not, you typed in the command wrong. The command is

ln -s target link
so in this case

ln -s /usr/java/jr2re1.4.2_05/bin/java /usr/bin/java

Is the command that would work. The other one is missing a space and tried to create an unnamed link to a file that does not exist - and therefore would not work.

Verify that the link worked.

When I type

ls -l /usr/bin/ja*

I get the following output (output is what the computer spits out in response to its processing of your input - if you don't know that - you should give up on linux now because it requires at least a minimal understanding of computing just to operate)

lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 31 Sep 5 18:06 /usr/bin/java -> /usr/java/j2re1.4.2_05/bin/java*

That shows that I have a link to java in my /usr/bin directory, which is in my path.

I don't know how to say this kindly, but I think you would benefit from getting yourself a book on linux, reading it, and working the examples in it before you try installing virtual machines. You don't have to master vi, but you need the basics of how it works. You don't have to master shell scripting, but you do need to know things like

input -> processing -> output

and the difference between stderr and stdout, which are all in chapter one of every Linux and Unix book ever written.

It will make all of this a lot easier.

Well it seems I do have a link but its not working

Looks like your symlink is missing the asterisk on the end that indicates that it is executable.

lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 8 Sep 5 21:08 /usr/bin/jade -> openjade*
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 3 Sep 5 21:10 /usr/bin/jadetex -> tex*
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 32 Sep 10 14:14 /usr/bin/java -> /usr/java/jr2re1.4.2_05/bin/java

Mine says:

lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 31 Sep 5 18:06 /usr/bin/java -> /usr/java/j2re1.4.2_05/bin/java*

Delete the symlink in /usr/bin and try again. Also, make sure that you have a java file in /usr/java/j2re1.4.2_05/bin/java

Lastly, I don't think you type sh at the prompt to run the LimeWire installer. Just made the installer executable and type ./file_name.bin and it runs.

If none of that works, try deleting the symlink again, and delete your java directory, download a new copy of java, and install it *again*.

Thanks, but you forgot to tell me how to delete symlinks

RTFM

just use google, type "rtfm" and it will give you all the info...

egag

thanks for being helpfull

Is this my wife posting under a pseudonym? She loves to sit down at the computer and insist that it be able to do what she needs without her having to learn a single thing about it or even touch her magnificent fingers to the unworthy keyboard. "I have to tell it to burn a music CD?!?" she frowns. "OUTRAGEOUS! I don't want to major in computer science, I just want the computer to do the stuff I need right now like a toaster."

Your last question, the one about deleting symlinks, is answered in the first twenty pages of even the worst book ever written about Linux. I believe everyone has an inherent responsibility to attempt to self-educate themselves using available resources before they can expect others to provide them with assistance. If it isn't worth an hour of your time, it isn't worth *any* of mine.

For example, before posting a question, it's nice to search for previous answers. This forums even include that function when you create a new post with a cute button to push. It's also nice to search the web for your answer before asking for clarification. And imnsho, it's nice if you buy a $20 book about Linux and learn the more rudimentary things so you don't ask people to waste time posting responses to questions like "what does 'log on' mean?" or the ever-popular "What is a command line?"

If you really don't even know how to delete files, do you really think you are ready to install java and limewire? I don't.



Get a nice book about Linux - like one of those big fat books like Linux Unleashed or Linux for Dummies and learn the most basic stuff. Otherwise you aren't going to understand the answers to your questions.