And removing this to install a new one from sun is not just the easy
way you
do it on a Mac.
I don't know the version of Java that comes with Windows XP but you do
want to install a new one right away, anyway. :-)
The current version of Java is 1.4.2_04. Removing the old version from
XP is not easy because it comes preinstalled and there is no
uninstaller. But it is not necessary to remove it. Just install Sun's
version.
Installing the version by Sun is easy. FINDING the correct version is
not. I made a little test and tried to do it from scratch, just like a
new user might do it. I found two ways. If you are a Java Developer you
might know this site and start at
Either know your way around and select J2SE 1.4.2 SDK or select
"Downloads"
Select "Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition (J2SE)"
Select "J2SE 1.4.2"
come to a longer list where you have to choose between
J2EE v1.4 with J2SE v1.4.2_02
NetBeans IDE v3.5.1 with J2SE v1.4.2 COBUNDLE
J2SE v1.4.2_04
J2SE v1.4.2 Documentation
You will want the third in this list, BUT you will have to choose
between "JRE" and "SDK".
Provided that you know what all these abbrevations mean and click an
"JRE" in the correct section you will have to accept a license before
you are able to select the platform.
BTW, the full installer for J2SE 1.4.2_04 for Windows is 14.5 MB. That
was easy, wasn't it? :-)
The second way I found is much easier. You start at http://www.sun.com/
and DON'T click on "Downloads". Instead click on the image that says
"Java Technology / GET IT FREE / from java.com".
You come to http://www.java.com/ and find a box with a large text that
says "Free Download >> Java software for the desktop / Get It Now". The
link redirects to a page after checking your browser (i.e. your
operating system). Below it is also a link "Manual Download".
I don't know how you see this. For me, the large text means that I
might get Java applications but not the Java runtime. Everything else
on the page implies that its all about applications.
Anyway, after clicking on the "Manual Download" you will come to a page
where you can select a "Download" link according to your operating
system. You don't have to accept a license. But you also don't know how
large the files are. At least not until you start the download...
The second way is much easier but I find the names and abbrevations
very confusing and misleading for the general user. You might have
heard only about "Java" or "Java plug-in" made by Sun. So you might
want to click on something like "Sun", "Download", "Java", "operating
system". (For QuickTime that is "Apple", "QuickTime", "Download",
either "operating system" or "Standalone Installer" & "operating
system" -> 11 MB for Windows.)
I think that if Java is not preinstalled on ones computer you will have
a hard time to install it afterwards.
Quicktime is installed by some computers with Windows. I believe at
least HP
does it.
Sony too. All their Vaios have QuickTime preinstalled.
