Installation issues

I downloaded the java 6 setup setup from the site of sun microsystems.
Unpacking and installation went just fine.
But now whenever i click on java.exe in the bin folder, the console screen flickers for a brief moment and then all is lost.

Heard that we have to link the java compiler.
link where?? to what??

Can someone please explain the concept of linking.(i kinda like to know what i am doing as well as why am i doing it).

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

thanks in adavnce

Welcome to JavaRanch.

The Java compiler (javac.exe) and runtime executor (java.exe) are not double-clickable GUI programs. They are meant to be used from the command line.

The Sun Java Tutorial explains this in more detail in the "Getting Started" chapter.