Since Eclipse is a Java application, we will need a Java Runtime Environment (JRE). You may already have a runtime environment, especially if you have installed the Java Development Kit (JDK). If you have a JRE or the JDK, you can skip this section.
The runtime environment is the engine that allows you to run Java applications. The JDK includes the runtime environment and has tools that let you create and compile Java programs. Even if you do not program in Java right now, as a developer, you should install the JDK. You may want to program in Java or JSP down the road. The instructions below will guide you on how to download the JDK.
You can download the official JDK at http://java.sun.com/j2se/corejava/index.jsp. Click on the link for the latest version and follow the links to download the JDK for your platform. The site also maintains a list of popular downloads in the right navigation bar. The list includes a direct link to the latest JDK download pages. You need...