I'm using Ubuntu Dapper Drake (soon to be upgrading to the latest) and have an app where I need to use THE Java, not a free alternative. Only problem is that the instructions I find say to place the files where I want it to be located. Great. I'm still very much a newbie comparatively and will probably stay that way.

Questions are simple.
1. Where do I locate the files on installation?
2. How do I become root without using sudo for everything?

Thanks!

Locating files:
see(type) man find and man locate
example:
sudo find / -name "*whatever*"
Depending on your desktop, you could have a GUI tool for this as well.

Sun's JRE:
If correctly installed, run:
sudo update-alternatives --config java
...and select the one from Sun.

Enabling Root:
sudo passwd root

I haven't installed anything, yet. That's part of the problem. I need to know where to install it.

Why?

In Debian (and Debian-based) you can just apt-get it without having to worry about its location:
*Enable all your repos (either manually in your sources.list or using Synaptic) and do a "sudo apt-get update".
*Install Sun's JRE (+ browser plug-in):
sudo apt-get install sun-java5-jre sun-java5-plugin

If I install it manually(without dpkg/apt), I usually install everything that isn't part of the distribution in /opt (it doesn't really matter though).

EDIT:
Here's a newbie friendly ubuntu guide:
http://ubuntuguide.org/wiki/Ubuntu_dapper

From Sun's website:
"3. Change to the directory in which you want to install. Type: cd <directory path name>"
It doesn't say to install it in a specific place, just go to where you want to install it. I don't know where I WANT to install it. Where is it best located?

Tried that. Can't find either package. I've even tried every package with Java in its name in Synaptic. Probably cluttered things up quite well, but I wanted to try it myself first.


Why doesn't it matter? If I install it in my home directory, won't it be inaccessible by my wife?

I'll go through that more later, but at first glance it looks like the same thing I've already tried.

Ishkabibble,

since you intend to upgrade anyhow, you may as well do so now. Gusty (7.10) makes these things so easy, why bother with an older release that has stopped receiving updates/ attention even though it was supposed to be fully supported for three years?

Anyway, if you do insist on installing it manually, you can pick any directory you like. Even your /home directory should work although it's probably more straightforward to install into /opt or (a subdirectory of) /usr.

Probably /opt or /usr (it *really* doesn't matter, just pick what looks natural for you and your fellow users)


You probably don't have all your repos enabled:
http://ubuntuguide.org/wiki/Ubuntu_d...a_repositories


Most people use /usr for that (it still doesn't matter though, you can change all permissions the way you like).


Just post the actual error message, I can assure you that it will work