• # install a recent java runtime environment, e.g., jre1.5.0 from http://java.sun.com, and unpack it:

   sudo mkdir -p /usr/java
   cd /usr/java
   sudo sh /tmp/jre-1_5_0-beta2-linux-i586.bin
  

• # go to the FireFox plugin directory, and create a symbolic link from the jre plugin into this directory:

   cd ~/.firefox/plugins 
   ln -s /usr/java/jre1.5.0/plugin/i386/ns7/libjavaplugin_oji.so
  

• # restart FireFox, and check whether the java plugin is mentioned here: about:plugins

We give advice, but we cannot give the wisdom to profit by it.
                -- La Rochefoucauld