I am running ubuntu 8.10, I just converted from windows due to alot
of problems with the windows OS.

Any way I am having problems installing Java.
I have tried both System>Admin>synaptic package manager
and Applications>Add/Remove.

The Synaptic route automatically gave me this error when I tried to open it,But the Add/Remove route only gave me the error when I tried to install.
So I tried using terminal to install and I still got the same error.

"E: dpkg was interrupted, you must manually run 'dpkg --configure -a' to correct the problem."

Then I ran the command like it said and got this

"hardcore@ubuntu:~$ dpkg --configure -a
dpkg: requested operation requires superuser privilege"

I am not sure how to fix this neither are any of my friends who have
been using ubuntu longer than I have. Someone help please?
"

Java - Community Ubuntu Documentation
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Java

RestrictedFormats - Community Ubuntu Documentation
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RestrictedFormats

Synaptic Package Manager - Community Ubuntu Documentation
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SynapticHowto

Repositories/Ubuntu - Community Ubuntu Documentation
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Repositories/Ubuntu

dup sorry.

I know how to install I just do not know how to fix this error,
I read over those pages and nothing tells me how to correct this error
so that I can install java.

'sudo dpkg --configure -a' is correct.

Thank you so much... I feel so stupid, I didn't know to put in "sudo"