Java Console (Ubuntu)

Introduction

Java console can crash in firefox on Ubuntu (and Debian).

Since 10.04, Ubuntu is shipped with openjdk java version and not sun version.

You need Oracle (Sun) Java 6 or 7 version to get the console correctly working.

Solution

shell script to update-sun-jre

• check http://www.duinsoft.nl/packages.php?t=en , there is a shell script and a repository which make the installation of the Oracle (Sun) Java Runtime Environment very easy. I used it on Ubuntu, but it look like it'll work on any Debian based system.

On that link there is information about the java changes that occurred in August 2011.

solution for Ubuntu 12.04 and Oracle Java 7

first method, leaving openjdk installed: http://askubuntu.com/questions/183867/how-do-i-update-oracle-java-7-jdk-and-jre

$ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:webupd8team/java
$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get install oracle-java7-installer
$ sudo update-java-alternatives -s java-7-oracle

second method, removing openjdk: http://askubuntu.com/questions/143781/used-purge-command-to-remove-java-it-removed-a-lot-more-than-java

$ sudo apt-get purge openjdk*
$ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:webupd8team/java
$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get install oracle-java7-installer

Remember that, contrary to OpenJDK, Oracle Java is *not* Free Software, and no one except Oracle has control on the code and knows what really does on your computer.