Java Sun JDK 1.5 or 1.6 no Ubuntu 10.10 or 11.04 (updated: 01 Jun 2011)

As we know, Java 1.5 has not been maintained anymore and Java 6, has been hanging around for a while and Java 7 is coming soon. But it doesn't mean everybody has to move on to Java 1.6. The problem in Ubuntu is they force you to use OpenJDK. Worse yet, they don't let you downgrade to 1.5.

There are lots of legacy systems running on Java 5 and we can't forget that. It is also about freedom of choice. If you want to install Sun JDK 5 or 6 Ubuntu should not make your life difficult.

Ubuntu 10 and 11 don't allow us to natively (or easily) install Sun JDK's via apt-get.

It is so frustrate when we try to install it on Ubuntu 10.10 and have no luck:

sudo apt-get install sun-java5-jdk (or sudo apt-get install sun-java6-jdk)

After installed, the JDK will go to this directory: /usr/lib/jvm/java-6-sun

You can see all JDK's installed running the following command:

sudo update-java-alternatives -l


After a while, finally got the solution for this:

sudo add-apt-repository "deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ jaunty multiverse"

sudo add-apt-repository "deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ jaunty-updates multiverse"

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install sun-java5-jdk


Check it out just to confirm:

sudo update-java-alternatives -l


The commands above worked for me in Ubuntu 10 and 11, installing Sun JDK 1.5 and 1.6.
If it doesn't work, try to add the following repositories and repeat the process: (anonymous suggestion - thanks a lot):

sudo add-apt-repository "deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy multiverse"
sudo add-apt-repository "deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy-updates multiverse"


Cheers

Leonardo