I tried to install the jre x64 rpm file of Java SE 7u1 from the Oracle site, but it seems that opensuse 12.1 does not recognize this Java version since opensuse still uses java-1_6_0-openjdk and i can’t switch to Java 7u1 with “update-alternatives --config java” because i get a 'there is only one alternative in link group java … nothing to configure". Also if i uninstall java-1_6_0-openjdk, opensuse wants to install java 1.5.0 and not use jre 1.7.0.
Anyone any ideas?
I’m not sure, but I think there was a change in Oracle policies/license/etc that causes problems with including it.
I believe you will likely need to manually configure the links for update-alternative first, it will not be aware of the Oracle version until you configure the links, and that may be why it is reporting only one link in the java group. You might try:
update-alternatives --install “/usr/bin/java” “java” “/usr/java/jre1.7.0/bin/java” 40
(Or modify to the install location the Oracle installer used.)
You should then be able to enable it with update-alternative.
Cheers,
Lews Therin
Thank you all very much for your replies. Didn’t know that there is a factory repository with java 7, good to know.
But this was actually exactly what is was searching for:
Didn’t even need to modify the command, running now java 7 seemingly without problems.
Thanks again, bye!
very helpful post - i also never knew that there was a separate java repo.
The Oracle Java in the Factory repo is the outdated and insecure 6u26. And it won’t be updated anymore, due to license trouble.
You can use this how-to instead, for manual installation of the latest Oracle Java 6u29:
Oracle (Sun) Java for openSUSE - Easy Linux tips project
The repo shown above includes:-
java-1_7_0-sun-1.6.0.ea.b104-2.127
Some small contribution “Install Oracle Java JDK/JRE on openSUSE 12.1”
Bruno Antunes Weblog : Weblog
Is that version up to date ? 
But since Oracle changed the license that version will eventually become obsolete.
the repo was updated (again) on the 20/11