RHEL5 and Sun Java

[Hugh E Cruickshank]

Hi All:

I am attempting to install RHEL 5.3 on an HP DL360 G5 system and it
seems like every time I turn around I am encountering conflicts
and I have not even got to the point where I will be installing our
application software (which is where I thought I would have problems).
Now to the problem at hand...

I was attempting to install the Lexmark MarkVision for Linux software
but it refused to recognize the Java that came with 5.3.

I then uninstalled the Java and downloaded Sun's JRE 6 Update 12
(specifically jre-6u12-linux.i586.rpm.bin) and started installing it.
It appears to install fine until I get to the point where I am 
supposed to install the Firefox (version 3.0.7) plugin. The target
directory for libjavaplugin_oji.so (/usr/lib/firefox-3.0.7/plugins)
did not exist so I created it and installed the symlink and then
installed the extension files. Java works from the command line but
the Java console does not appear in the Firefox tools menu nor does
Firefox pass the Sun Java test web page.

After much goolge searching with very little results I have tried
installing the .so symlink in /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins but that did
not work either.

I do not really need Firefox to work as this will box will be a web
server (if I ever get it finished) but it bugs the heck out of me
when I can not get things to install correctly. Of course, I am also
wondering things like: if this does not work what else is not working.

So my questions are:

1. Has anyone else encountered this and what did you do to get it
   working (assuming you did get it working)?

2. Failing that, does anyone have suggestions on what I can try next?

TIA

Regards, Hugh

-- 
Hugh E Cruickshank, Forward Software, www.forward-software.com