Java download

[MandK_10]

New to java here and want to get it on my machine.

I went to blackdown.org and found the ftp sites. I then went to the /JDK-1.3.0/i386 directory. from there there are two folders one is RC1 the other is FCS. both contain two .bz2 files j2re-1.3.0-... and j2sdk-1.3.0... the rest of the file name is either FCS-linux-i386.tar.bz or RC1-linux-i386.tar.bz2.

My question is what is the difference between the RC1 and the FCS and what is the difference in the j2re and j2sdk?
Finally, which ones do I need?

I hope that I was not too confusing.

Mike

[klamath]

First off, get it from java.sun.com -- Linux is now officially supported by Sun.

J2RE includes only the runtime environment -- just the stuff necessary to run pre-compiled Java apps. If you want to run Java applications, use this.

J2SDK is the full development kit. It includes everything in the JRE, but also compilers, debuggers, source code, etc. It's a lot larger. If you want to develop and run Java application, use this.

You might also want to check out the Java 1.4 beta that was released by Sun a little while ago. Damn cool.

And IBM also produce a version of Java for Linux.

[Stephen B]

Originally posted by MandK_10:
<STRONG>New to java here and want to get it on my machine.

I went to blackdown.org and found the ftp sites. I then went to the /JDK-1.3.0/i386 directory. from there there are two folders one is RC1 the other is FCS. both contain two .bz2 files j2re-1.3.0-... and j2sdk-1.3.0... the rest of the file name is either FCS-linux-i386.tar.bz or RC1-linux-i386.tar.bz2.

My question is what is the difference between the RC1 and the FCS and what is the difference in the j2re and j2sdk?
Finally, which ones do I need?

(I can only answere one for now.)
If you want to develop programs in Java, you need the j2sdk, the j2re is the Java run time enviorenment (JVM). I believe you get the j2re when you install the j2sdk.
BTW: you may need to check your version of libc on your system before you download and install anything. There is libc5, glibc2.0, and glibc2.1. Look for files named /lib/libc.so.&lt;something&gt;...
/lib/libc.so.5 but not /lib/libc.so.6, you have libc5
/lib/libc.6 and it is a sim link to libc-2.0&lt;something&gt; you have glibc2.0
/lib/libc.6 and it is a sim link to libc-2.1&lt;something&gt; you have glibc2.1

-source "Java Programming on Linux" by Nathan Meyers.

I'm going through a related problem with Blackdown (see my post in 'Software' here.) I'll monitor you post and send you any info. I get.
I hope that I was not too confusing.

Mike</STRONG>

[Stephen B]

Klamath answered both our questions - thanks.