You can get your Java Run Time Environment at java.com. It is free. If you download the "offline" installer (15MB), then you can archive that, and have it on hand for "the next time". It also means that you can install just the core, or the core plus non-Roman alphabet support, etc, etc. The java.com site also offers an "online install" option, 238kb initial download, but you'll then sit online while it goes off to the web to fetch the other stuff anyway, just in a differnt form. I don't see the attraction of the online version.
Windows 10, 12/18, if you have installed the Java RTE, you should see a "Java" folder in the list of installed apps that pops up when you press the Windows key.
How do I tell Open Office? (Or Libre Olffice... I think all that I am about to say applies equally there.) For some modules of Open Office, particularly the excellent OpenOffice database, "Base", you need a Java RTE.
Start Open Office. Use Tools/ Options.
Under the main "Open Office" item, there's a sub-item called Java. Clcik on that. If you have an installed Java RTE, it should be listed in the available runtime environments. Don't be alarmed if you only have one. CLICK ON THE RADIO BUTTON in front of "Oracle Corp" (the providers of the Java RTE). Click "OK". that should do it!
Theory of RTEs
Java programs are not the only ones to use RTEs. Much of what follows is also true in other contexts.
One of the attractions of Java is that a program written in Java will run on a Windows machine, a Linux machine, a Mac... and others!
A "Java program" consists of instructions written in a compact language, but not in the fundamental machine code peculiar to a given PC/ operating system.
When you "run" a Java program, you are presenting it to the RTE installed on the machine involved. The RTE interprets the Java code, turning it into the language peculiar to the machine involved, which then causes whatever you see on the screen.
The RTEs are like interpreters of human languages. I've changed to the plural because a different RTE is needed for each platform you want to use to run a Java program.
To run a Java program on a Windows machine and on a Linux machine, you would need three things: The Java program (you'd use the same program on both machines), the RTE for Windows (which would interpret the java code, translating it into terms Windows "understands"), and the RTE for Linux (which is different from the Windows RTE.) The Linux RTE reads the same Java code, but tranlates it into Linux terms.
Pretty cool? The only downside is that the speed of program execution is degraded... not usually a serious issue with modern hardware... and the Java world is reduced to lowest common denominators... but that doesn't stop a good programmer giving you a useful program!
Why does this site cause a script to run? I have my web-traffic monitored for me by eXTReMe tracker. They offer a free tracker. If you want to try it, check out their site
Be careful. Not all, "free" software is a good thing. Be sure you learn a bit about spyware before you get too adventurous with trying things from the internet. I've put together a little introduction for you.
