chmod +x jdk-6u32-linux-x64.bin
./jdk-6u32-linux-x64.bin
sudo mv jdk1.6.0_32 /usr/lib/jvm/
sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/javac javac /usr/lib/jvm/jdk1.6.0_32/bin/javac 1
sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/java java /usr/lib/jvm/jdk1.6.0_32/bin/java 1
sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/javaws javaws /usr/lib/jvm/jdk1.6.0_32/bin/javaws 1
sudo update-alternatives --config javac
sudo update-alternatives --config java
sudo update-alternatives --config javaws
java -version
ls -la /etc/alternatives/java*
for 64-Bit jdk
sudo ln -s /usr/lib/jvm/jdk1.6.0_32/jre/lib/amd64/libnpjp2.so /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins
for 32-Bit jdk
sudo ln -s /usr/lib/jvm/jdk1.6.0_32/jre/lib/i386/libnpjp2.so /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins
tar -xvzf jdk-7u4-linux-x64.tar.gz
sudo mv jdk1.7.0_04 /usr/lib/jvm/
sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/javac javac /usr/lib/jvm/jdk1.7.0_04/bin/javac 1
sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/java java /usr/lib/jvm/jdk1.7.0_04/bin/java 1
sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/javaws javaws /usr/lib/jvm/jdk1.7.0_04/bin/javaws 1
sudo update-alternatives --config javac
sudo update-alternatives --config java
sudo update-alternatives --config javaws
java -version
ls -la /etc/alternatives/java*
for 64-Bit jdk
sudo ln -s /usr/lib/jvm/jdk1.7.0_04/jre/lib/amd64/libnpjp2.so /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins
for 32-Bit jdk
sudo ln -s /usr/lib/jvm/jdk1.7.0_04/jre/lib/i386/libnpjp2.so /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins
I have added Java Web Start configuration (Thanks Jack).
I have added Java Plugin configuration for Mozilla Firefox even for Chrome (Thanks shetty).
Some tools require JAVA_HOME variable. You can set JAVA_HOME in Ubuntu so simple: Edit the file .bashrc under your home directory and add the following lines: (if .bashrc is hidden click in Nautilus Menu View > Show Hidden Files)
export JAVA_HOME=/path/your/jdk
export PATH=$JAVA_HOME/bin:$PATH