Hello, while Java 1.5 has been added to our repositories some time ago, a new Java release is coming...
In fact, Java 1.6.0 (codenamed mustang) is actually in Release Candidate state but it is just really stable and really much more performing (using, from my point of view, less memory!).
Features
This is a summarized list of the new features; first of all for linux users I've to underline the support for full-screen mode, then for all the support for native GTK graphics widgets (i.e. your gtk theme from your gtkrc conf file!), and subpixel rendering (finally!) 
I want explain better this two “main” graphical features, showing what has really changed from the user interface point of view (anyway here you can find more informations on all others new aesthetics features).
Gtk graphic theme support
Above 
you can see some kind of java test widgets rendered using “your” linux (true) gtk theme (the one in the shot, is QtCurve the Qt/Gtk theme/engine that I use). You can see another example in this screenshot showing Mercury rendered using the Ubuntu Human Quicksilver gtk theme!!
Finally Java apps could look like your standard applications! 
Anyway this feature isn't enabled by default (newer versions of make-jpkg-mustang will support it), you must define this environment variable:
Code:
export _JAVA_OPTIONS="-Dswing.defaultlaf=com.sun.java.swing.plaf.gtk.GTKLookAndFeel"
Btw some applications like Mercury have a built-in theme selector; in those cases, you should select the "Gtk theme".
Subpixel Rendering
Above you can see how it looks good the new font rendering (especially for LCD screens), the three windows shows (from left to right):
1) Java 1.5 (standard “old” java font rendering)
2) Java 1.5 (using the "-Dswing.aatext=true" paramter that activate a semi-antialiased font rendering)
3) Java 1.6 (using the built-in new subpixel rendering)
Java 1.6 reads your gnome (and KDE, using a package made with make-jpkg-mustang >=0.7.5) font antialiasing/rendering settings and apply it to its applications too; as you can see in the screenshot (3) the result is great (there are, btw, more settings so the screenshot shows only a case).
Finally Java apps could have a smoother look in your LCD screen!
You can find more informations on Mustang's subpixel rendering here.
Installation
Anyway after this little explaination, let's install and package it...
Well... Considering that the java-package's make-jpkg doesn't work with latest versions of the binary, I've decided to create a my own script that in only a move:
- Downloads the latest jdk java package (working both for i386 and amd64)
- Extracts it, removing the unnecessary JDK stuff
- Creates a debian JRE package to be installed in your system
- The package installs and sets as default (using update-alternatives) all the Jre's binaries and the firefox java plugin
- KDE kcontrol font rendering settings supported (read here)
To install this script, you've only to install a package from My Repository.
Add it to your sources.list (there's also other cool stuff):
Code:
deb http://download.tuxfamily.org/3v1deb/ 3v1n0
Then
Code:
sudo apt-get install make-jpkg-mustang
Anyway, if you don't want to add the repository, you can simply install the .deb downloading it from this page (look for the make-jpkg-mustang deb!).
To do everything you need run (as user, please!)
The script will do all the work, btw you've to agree with the Sun Java License.
You can also generate the debian package from another mustang's downloaded bin file by running
Code:
make-jpkg-mustang /your_dir/your_sun_jdk_binary_file.bin
After that the downloading/converting process has ended, you're asked for installing the just made package; if you refuse, you've to manually install the created package saved where the script says.
That's All!
Notes:You don't need to remove the standard sun-java5-* packages, simply if you want to re-use the old version use the command
sudo update-alternatives --config java to set your favourite java virtual machine
(or simply run the standard jvm by /usr/lib/jvm/java-1.5.0-sun/jre/bin/java)!
Actually the make-jpkg-mustang package build only the sun-java6-jre package, anyway, I'm planning to integrate it to create also the other packages (jdk, src, plugin, demo...): let me know if you're intrested in!
This should work in amd64 systems too, btw it's not tested there, so, please, let me know if there's something of wrong!
KDE font rendering settings are now read by an "home-made" script... To use subpixel rendering, use kcontrol standard font settings.
KDE/Qt theme Java support isn't just now in a Work in Progress status (read/try more
here), anyway you can use the Gtk-Qt engine to make your gtk (and so, java) applications look (quite) like your KDE's ones.
Otherwise use themes like
QtCurve (present in my repository) to make both Qt and Gtk applications looks the same!
FIXED in Java build 1.6.0_01-ea-b01 (or using the make-jpkg-mustang for previous versions):
Java 1.6 (as the 1.5) could have problems with Compiz (for example, windows are open with a smaller horizontal size, so they appears like a vertical line), read here. Anyway I'm running J2Se 1.6 with Compiz for weeks, so this is not a great bug...
PS: In the screenshot you see Java 1.6 running Mercury, btw to run it you need to disable the trayicon; use kdocker or alltray instead!
[HOWTO / SCRIPT] - Packaging and installing Java 1.6.0 (Mustang) JRE in few moves!
Adv Reply
Originally Posted by anodizer
lugins in your browser; if there's no java plugin you've only to do a
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