Can I use java on this machine?

Question

Because the machines of our schools all show the informaiton like below when I type "java":
Usage: java [-options] class [args...]
(to execute a class)
or java -jar [-options] jarfile [args...]
(to execute a jar file)
where options include:
-client to select the "client" VM
-server to select the "server" VM
-hotspot is a synonym for the "client" VM [deprecated]
The default VM is client.
-cp -classpath <directories and zip/jar files separated by ;>
set search path for application classes and resources
-D<name>=<value>
set a system property
-verbose[:class|gc|jni]
enable verbose output
-version print product version and exit
-showversion print product version and continue
-? -help print this help message
-X print help on non-standard options
-ea[:<packagename>...|:<classname>]
-enableassertions[:<packagename>...|:<classname>]
enable assertions
-da[:<packagename>...|:<classname>]
-disableassertions[:<packagename>...|:<classname>]
disable assertions
-esa | -enablesystemassertions
enable system assertions
-dsa | -disablesystemassertions
disable system assertions
How can I run java program on these machines?

Answer 1

By following what the usage message tells you.
Bare minimum:java SomeClass (You don't actually type "SomeClass." That's just a generic placeholder for the name of the class whose main method you want to run.
More common: java -cp C:\some\path;C:\some\other\path\something.jar SomeClass something somethingElse And again, those are of course just generic placeholders for your real classpath, class, command line arguments.
Of course, to do this, you'll have to have a Java program to run. Do you have one that you want to run? Or are you going to start learning how to code in Java? To write the code, you don't use Java, you use your favorite text editor or an IDE. Then you use javac to compile it and java to run it.
If you're just looking to get an idea of what Java is, how to write code, how to run it, check out the second link below. Since Java seems to already be installed, you can skip the parts about downloading and installing.
Sun's basic Java tutorial
Sun's New To Java Center. Includes an overview of what Java is, instructions for setting up Java, an intro to programming (that includes links to the above tutorial or to parts of it), quizzes, a list of resources, and info on certification and courses.
http://javaalmanac.com. A couple dozen code examples that supplement The Java Developers Almanac.
jGuru. A general Java resource site. Includes FAQs, forums, courses, more.
JavaRanch. To quote the tagline on their homepage: "a friendly place for Java greenhorns." FAQs, forums (moderated, I believe), sample code, all kinds of goodies for newbies. From what I've heard, they live up to the "friendly" claim.
Bruce Eckel's Thinking in Java (Available online.)
Joshua Bloch's Effective Java
Bert Bates and Kathy Sierra's Head First Java. This one has been getting a lot of very positive comments lately.
&para;