Ok... I have this huge list of conflicting programs when I try to launch the java 1.5 rpm; is there a clean way to replace the old refereces to java 1.42?

try "man rpm" at the terminal prompt. Jesus Christ is the source of all power. If you know His Name, and take on His nature, you can have His power.

How are you trying to install it? Are you performing an upgrade? # rpm -Uvh java-1.5.rpm

I get this reponse when I try # rpm -Uvh java-1.5.rpm error: Failed dependencies: java is needed by (installed) wsdl4j-1.4-4 java-1.4.2-sun = 1.4.2.08-0.1 is needed by (installed) java-1_4_2-sun-alsa-1.4.2.08-0.1 java-1.4.2-sun = 1.4.2.08-0.1 is needed by (installed) java-1_4_2-sun-demo-1.4.2.08-0.1 java-1.4.2-sun = 1.4.2.08-0.1 is needed by (installed) java-1_4_2-sun-devel-1.4.2.08-0.1 java-1.4.2-sun = 1.4.2.08-0.1 is needed by (installed) java-1_4_2-sun-jdbc-1.4.2.08-0.1 java-1.4.2-sun = 1.4.2.08-0.1 is needed by (installed) java-1_4_2-sun-plugin-1.4.2.08-0.1 java-1.4.2-sun = 1.4.2.08-0.1 is needed by (installed) java-1_4_2-sun-src-1.4.2.08-0.1 jndi is needed by (installed) ldapjdk-4.1-4 jndi is needed by (installed) castor-0.9.5-4 jndi is needed by (installed) tomcat5-5.0.30-4 jndi-ldap is needed by (installed) tomcat5-5.0.30-4 jaas is needed by (installed) ldapjdk-4.1-4 jaas is needed by (installed) tomcat5-5.0.30-4 jsse is needed by (installed) ldapjdk-4.1-4 jdbc-stdext is needed by (installed) avalon-logkit-1.2-4 jdbc-stdext is needed by (installed) castor-0.9.5-4 jdbc-stdext is needed by (installed) struts-1.2.4-4 jdbc-stdext is needed by (installed) tomcat5-5.0.30-4 jre1.3.x is needed by (installed) jedit-4.1-46 libjava.so is needed by (installed) java-1_4_2-sun-alsa-1.4.2.08-0.1 libjawt.so is needed by (installed) OpenOffice_org1-1.1.3-4.3 libjawt.so is needed by (installed) OpenOffice_org-1.9.125-4.1 libjvm.so is needed by (installed) java-1_4_2-sun-alsa-1.4.2.08-0.1

The solution is to add FTP as an install source in YaST, then install Java 1.5 in YaST