Instructions for downloading the latest Java Development Kit for Windows and setting the Path variable permanently on your home machine.
  1. Install the Java Development Kit (jdk) from http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/index.jsp
    Accepting the licensing agreement will take you to a page with this option, just download (select the Windows Offline Installation, Multi-language) and run the executable:
     
    Windows Platform - Java(TM) SE Development Kit 6
     Windows Offline Installation, Multi-language jdk-6-windows-i586.exe 53.16 MB

    Notes:
    a. If you have an older version installed you may want to uninstall it by going to Start/Control Panel/ Add or Remove Programs.
    b. If your internet connection is slow, download the 53.16 MB file to a jump drive in class.
    c. Steps 2 and 3 below can be used to set your path variable so the java tools can be used from the command line. This is not necessary if you want to only use an Interface Development Environment like BlueJ or Eclipse to edit and run the Java tools or if you are satisfied to set the path from the command line or type in the full path each time you want to use a tool.
     
  2. Determine the path to the jdk bin folder by opening MyComputer/Program Files/Java and clicking on the jdk folder, you will likely also see a jre folder so be sure to select the jdk. Then click on the bin folder to open it. Now the address bar will have the complete path. If your folder view does not show the address bar, just click on View, Toolbars and check the Address Bar choice. Click in the address bar and copy the path.
    This is what my path looked like:
    C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0\bin
     
  3. Next select Start/Control Panel/Performance and Maintenance/System, click on the advanced tab. Click the Environment Variables button. Edit the System Variables Path by selecting it and clicking the edit button the use the right arrow to move to the end of the path (by default the entire current paths are highlighted and if you paste at this point your current paths will be lost) insert a semicolon then paste the full path to the jdk installed on your machine.