The last time I downloaded Eclipse, about a year ago, it was slow, but easy enough to install. I figured I'd have another look, since the Java fans who read this blog keep telling me how wonderful it is.

Well, it may well be wonderful. I have no idea though, because I can't get it to run. I downloaded it from eclipse.org easily enough - but then the app told me that it needed JDK 1.4.1, and all I had was JDK 1.3.1. That's where the real fun started

First check - follow the links from the Eclipse sit to the Sun download page - there's JDK 1.4.2. No 1.4.1 in sight. I figured that ought to be close enough, so I grabbed it. That's when I found the marvelous installer that Sun has. Now, I know that the Cincom Smalltalk installer has not always been perfect - but this one did some basic stuff wrong. No cancel button, and it reported progress for awhile, and then just stopped - leaving me wondering whether it was still running. Finally, it finished - and then it asked me to reboot. What's up with that?

Ok, back from the reboot - and Eclipse still tells me I only have 1.3.1 installed. Look at CLASSPATH in a DOS shell - nope, that points to the new stuff. Installed Programs? Nope - no sign of anything with a 1.3.x version anywhere there. Joy. Off to the registry - nope, nothing there.

In desperation, I go into the directory and try starting the file called "startup" instead of the one called "eclipse". Fascinating - that works. But it opens up without any sign that it sees the JDK, so I expect I'm not seeing it the way I'm supposed to. Clearly, I'm missing something here. I have no idea how to even evaluate this thing.