Install java 1.5 for Mac OSX

  1. Make sure that your Mac is runing OSX 10.4 (or a subsequent version).   To find this out, click on the blue Apple logo at the top left of your menubar; choose 'About This Mac'. If the version reported there is less that 10.4, then you need to upgrade OSX in order to install Java 1.5, and to run the Gaggle.

    OSX 10.4 (Tiger) must be purchased from Apple. Once installed, proceed.

  2. Is Java 1.5 installed? Open a Terminal window, and type the following: 
    ls -l /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions
    If 1.5 is among the versions listed, then the correct version is already installed. If not, then obtain (and install) Java 1.5 from Apple Support.

  3. Configuration Step 1:   set your Java Preferences.

    From the Finder, open Applications->J2SE5.0->Java Preferences.app.   Here you can set Java 1.5 as your default web start version. When the Java Preferences window appears, choose these settings:

    • Use version: J2SE 5.0
    • Java Application Runtime Settings:   make sure that J2SE 5.0 is on top.

  4. Test your installation with this small web start program.

  5. Configuration Step 2:   update your Java Version Path.

    Please beware! If the 'sudo' command is new to you, do not attempt this command -- instead seek help from your systems administrator. These operations are discussed here and here.) 

    
     # find out what 'CurrentJDK' symlink points to
  cd /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions
  ls -l 

     # if it is pointing to 1.4, then remove that symlink
  sudo rm CurrentJDK

     # recreate the symlink, but now have it point to verin 1.5.0
  sudo ln -s 1.5.0 CurrentJDK

  6. Test this change in a Terminal shell: 
     java -version
    It should now report version 1.5 or greater.