Java: Download/Installation Instructions

You may want to print these instructions before proceeding. You should read each step completely before performing the action it describes. Because these products may change slightly each semester, I would appreciate it if you would let me know if you find any discrepancies between these instructions and what actually happens when you try to follow them.

IMPORTANT: If you are also going to use the Eclipse software, install Java first, BEFORE you install Eclipse.

Java

The following instructions were composed for installing Sun Java 1.5.0_08 (aka JDK 5.0 update 8). This may not be the latest version, but it is the one that we are using this semester. Note: Java is already installed as part of Mac OS X, so no further installation is necessary for these machines. Ensure, though, that you have the right version by typing java -version to the unix command prompt; the response should be something like java version "1.5.0_07"

A typical Java installation takes about 400 megabytes of disk space. The installation process reports the exact size.

Downloading

1. Click Java SE Downloads
   A page, with this label in orange, will be displayed in your browser.

2. Find the section labeled JDK 5.0 Update 8 and click its Download button (the fourth one from the top). Click Yes to the Security Window pop-up, if it appears. A page, with the label Download in orange, will be displayed in your browser.

3. Click the Accept button, which appears under Required in red (it is in a small font: look for it carefully).
   Again, click Yes to the Security Window pop-up, if it appears. This page will re-display itself, with this information absent.

4. Find the black bar labeled Windows Platform - J2SE(TM) Development Kit 5.0 Update 8

5. Click the link labeled Windows Online Installation (typical download size is ~33.7MB), Multi-language

6. Save the file it is about to download somewhere on your disk drive. The file will be named jdk-1_5_0_08-windows-i586-p-iftw.exe. The exact form of this interaction will depend on the version of your operating system (on mine clicked Save to the File Download - Security Warning pop-up; then I specified the location for the file; and then I clicked Close to the Download complete pop-up). Store this exe file somewhere permanent on your disk drive, so that you can reexecute it (reinstall Java) later, if necessary. This file is only about 250KB (1/4 MB).

7. Terminate (X) any windows remaining from this process (e.g., the Download window).

Installing

1. Double-click the file that you just downloaded, to run it.
   Click Run to the Open File - Security Warning pop-up. You will see a Windows Installer window temporarily then a Preparing to Install window temporarily. You will then see a License Agreement window.

2. Click the "I accept the terms..." button.

3. Click the Next> button.
   You will see a Custom Setup window, for J2SE Development Kit 5.0 Update 8. The default is to get a full installation (~264Mb), which is what you want.

4. Click the Next> button.
   

5. You will see an Installing window (for J2SE Development Kit 5.0 Update 8), whose progress is shown by progress bars (on various panes). Be patient: many megabytes of information is being downloaded and then used to perform the actual installation; sometimes the progress bars lool like they are making no progress.

6. Eventually, you will see another Custom Setup window, for J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0 Update 8. The default is to get a full installation (~131Mb), which is what you want.

7. Click the Next> button.
   

8. You will see a Browser Registration window. Select whatever browsers you want to register for,

9. Click the Next> button.
   

10. You will see another Installing window (for J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0 Update 8), whose progress is shown by progress bars (on various panes). This installation will take less time than one for the Development Kit.

11. Click the Finish button on the Installation Completed pop-up window.