Ubuntu Linux
I’ve been using Ubuntu Linux a lot lately, to the point of installing it on my main PC at work (dual boot of course). In many ways, it’s the nicest linux distro that I’ve used in quite a while: the interface is sleek and elegant, most things (including wifi cards!) just work, it only needs one (that’s 1) install disk. However, it’s also based upon Debian, which is *serious* about free as in freedom rather than free beer. So, you end up with lots of little aggravations for doing simple things like adding java support. Sigh.
*UPDATE:*
I found this site that has a nicely detailed set of instructions covering a range of scenarios for installing java on your shiny new Ubuntu system. It’s for Debian systems in general with errata for Ubuntu as appropriate.