I have downloaded JRE 1.3 and JRE 1.4 and Linux Flash Reader and ran the installation routines but none of the browsers can execute javascripts or flash code. What steps have I missed?

Flash: Copy the plugins into the mozilla plugins directory under /usr somewhere. Each distro puts it in a different place. Java: locate the java plugin in user/java/?? Once you know where it is located, create a symlink to that plugin file. There are usually 2 under the plugins folder. If you are using mozilla use the netscape 6 plugin and use the netscape 4.X for the lower versions of netscape. now all you have to do is the following command. Change the directory paths based on where your stuff is located. ln -s /usr/java/Your Path /usr/Mozilla Plugin path. This creates a symlink to the plugin file and creates the link in your mozilla plugin directory. Once you do this your setup. Remeber you need to change the above paths based on where each part is located on your system. Good Luck!

Yeah, you should end up with something similar like this in your mozilla/plugins dir: -r-xr-xr-x 1 root root 2363 Mar 25 19:18 ShockwaveFlash.class* -rwxrwxr-x 1 root root 948056 Mar 25 19:17 libflashplayer.so* lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 60 Aug 1 01:58 libjavaplugin_oji.so -> /usr/lib/j2re1.4.0_01/plugin/i386/ns610/libjavaplugin_oji.so*

Type about:plugins in your nutscrape address bar to find the location of your plugins directory and which ones are installed.