ha ha 1) Well, using Apache is NOT a "noob" thing to install. no it probably isn't - and I never even got as far as apache. In fact I'm planning on still installing apache. my whole point was that ubuntu was billed as such and easy linux distro to work with that i wrongly assumed it would be easy to work with. It turns out it has just as many (if not more) issues than any other distro. oh and btw installing apache on windows is a snap and a noob could do.. configuring it properly might be a different story. 2) If it ain't in the repositories, don't install it without expecting a certain level of difficulty. I did expect a certain level of difficulty. In fact that's why I didn't give up until it became obvious that what i was trying to accomplish was impossible. (I say impossible because not a single post on google pointed to anyone even being remotely successful at installing J2ee on ubuntu.) 3) If you're such a "noob", you should have searched out Ubuntu-specific install how-to's instead of striking out on your own. Ha ha - see last response... search for j2ee and ubuntu. 4) Instead of complaining the Ubuntu isn't the right distro for you, go out and find it. Hey, I said it was rant. I understand I picked the wrong distro.. I even mention that at the end of the post if you even cared to read it. 5) You only wasted two hours? I spent a whole day trying to get a DVD player installed on Mandrake to a year or so ago. I finally gave up and installed Win2k because I simply needed the system to work. Good for you. 6) Only a moron blames the tools for shoddy planning and a lack of patience... Wtf? why would I need planning. I downloaded ubuntu to try it out. I wanted to use it a certain way. It didn't work. I was pissed about the time wasted. I shared my experience. Lighten up, only a moron would get so worked up by a post on bb.