Do you know there is a very simple way to do this. Really there is. You'll just
be going DUH! Try installing this in Synaptic. It will grab all the tib bits
you need too. Try that route and see what happens. Yet, most off all linux
programs will be in there too.

Using the Synaptic PM to install software is definitely the way to go.
Gobby, I appreciate your suggestion. Unfortunately, eclipse still does
not work. I removed both the j2sdk and eclipse and then reinstalled
jdk6 and eclipse again. Eclipse still did not work. OpenOffice works
fine. Has anyone out there actually been able to get eclipse to work?
Is there a particular java environment that works best? I plan to
install sciTE text editor so that I can write code. Maybe that one will
work for me.

I don't exactly know your problem
but I've some Sugessions:
1 - When You uninstalled j2sdk and eclipse , do U uninstall eclipse or remove
it completly??
I think complete remove would do it effictivly. (But please continue
reading).

2 - I download eclipse from the official website , It doesn't require
installation any more.
only jdk required!, try this!

3 - for java developing I prefer netbeans (the new 6.0 released :)) )
download it from http://netbeans.org