Unfortunately, the other answerer is correct in saying java 1.5 is the latest version.
I am assuming you have followed the installation instructions and are able to do the following:
(1) open a command line window, if in MS Windows this is Command Prompt, or the old MS DOS Prompt.
(2) type 'java' without the quotes at the command prompt.
(2.1) if you get a help message, then you are ok to run programs.
(2.2) if not, you have to install according to the instructions. :(
(3) this time type 'javac' at the prompt, this should also produce a help message.
(3.1) if you did not get the message, you need to install properly. :(
Now that we have established you can compile and run the programs, you need to write the programs.
Open a text file, and type the following in:
public class HelloAnswers {
public static main(String[] args) {
System.out.println("Hello Yahoo! Answers!");
}
}
Then save the file as HelloAnswers.java
** Hopefully, the file has not been saved with a .txt extension, such as HelloAnswers.java.txt
** If it has, then you will need to rename the file, and remove the .txt
Now, on the command line, change directory (folder) to the directory (folder) that contains the newly created HelloAnswers.java file.
Type on the command line 'javac HelloAnswers.java' without the quotes, to compile the file.
This should produce a HelloAnswers.class file upon successful compilation (compile).
You can then type 'java HelloAnswers' on the command line, and it should run the program, and print out.
'Hello Yahoo! Answers!' without the quotes.
To run in the java web start, you need to make a jar (java archive) file, and possible create a Graphical User Interface (GUI). For the GUI, you can use AWT or javax.swing
Read the API docs, and have a look for some books on java as well. I found some books called 'Core Java' published by Sun Microsystems Press to be of valuable assistance in learning java, but some others may suffice.
[edit]
Obviously the code tags do not work :P