Install Java

The instructions at http://www.togaware.com/linux/survivor/Install_Sun.shtml worked to install Java.

download sun's self-extracting file j2sdk-1_4_2_05-linux-i586.bin (requires agreement to license)

move or copy it to /usr/local be root (this requires that you agree to the license again) (link the bin files into /usr/local/bin)
 * 1) j2sdk-1_4_2_05-linux-i586.bin
 * 1) ln -s /usr/local/j2sdk1.4.2_05/bin/* /usr/local/bin

This does not put the plugin into mozilla, that must be done manually.

In mozilla, go to file://usr/local/j2sdk1.4.2_05 open the README.html file go to System Requiremnts & Installation click on the installation instructions link click on the J2SDK for Linux link go to Java Plug-In Browser Registration Instructions Click on Manual Registration Instructions

Or click on the following link: http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/manual_install_linux.html

follow the instructions (requires creating a symbolic link from the correct file in the plugins directory into the mozilla plugins directory)
 * 1) cd /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins
 * 2) ln /usr/local/j2sdk1.4.2_05/jre/plugin/i386/ns610/libjavaplugin_oji.so.