Iced Tea conundrum

[catgate]

When I click on the "lifebelt" on the top screen panel (“iced tea” as I have found out the help function is called) I get a message that says :-
Failed to execute child process "/home/catgate/.icedtea/cache/recently_used" (Permission denied)
Since I use this facilty so infrequently I have never seen this before and do not have the slightest idea what it means. (I use this facility so infrequently not because I do not need help but rather because I often have difficulty in understanding what is telling me.)
I have looked into "/home/catgate/.icedtea/cache" and can not find /recently_used.
I am screwing up my courage to ugrade to Ubuntu 12.04 from 10.04 and so I would like to have things “ship shape” before I plunge in. So if someone could explain what it all means and what to do about it (even if it just “ignore it”) I would be most chuffed.
Thank you.

[johnhudson]

This software appeared on my system some time ago but the only time it popped up was earlier this week when I was using chromium to connect to a web seminar. The cache now contains the details of this seminar link and nothing else.

The security folder contains a list of certificates. So my hunch is that it will automatically be installed with an up-to-date set of certificates anyway if you upgrade/reinstall.

[catgate]

(“iced tea” as I have found out the help function is called) just shows what a mess my mind was in when I was trying to figure it all out.
After further cogitation it seems to my possibly defective logic that the onscreen Help function is run using Java and Icedtea has found something with which it is not happy.
In view of the reply by johnhudson is it possible that there is some sort of bug in my "icedtea"?

[nelz]

Icedtea is Jave. It is an alternative to Sun's JRE.

[catgate]

Icedtea is Jave. It is an alternative to Sun's JRE.

Thank you for that enlightenment, nelz. That is another pool of light shed into my dark morass of ignorance.
This suggests to me that removing icedtea and then reinstalling it might correct things.......or this more from the morass?

[nelz]

Removing and reinstalling won't affect files in your home directory. You could try renaming ~/.icedtea and trying again.

You could also try creating a new user and seeing if they have the same problem. That would help indicate whether it is a fault with your configuration files in ~.

[catgate]

Having finished the cupboards in the conservatory I have been allowed to get back to this little bit of silliness.
I have determined that file "/home/catgate/.icedtea/cache/recently_used" was created automatically, presumably by BT, during some trouble I had with speed (no not the Huhne type, nor the other mind affecting type) over the Christmas period and into the new year.
The entire contents of "/home/catgate/.icedtea/cache" consists of five directories containing subdirectories and files relating to BT speed testing, and a file called "recently_used" containing this:-

#automatically generated - do not edit
#Mon Dec 24 10:12:15 GMT 2012
last-modified=1350773238000
content-length=84044
last-updated=1356301807418
delete=true

I am a bit puzzled (well a lot puzzled) because every time I have been in touch with BT they constantly proudly proclaim "We do not support Linux." So how do they manage to create files on my system? Or is it clever Linux that does it on its own initiative?

Should I shake a six and pass GO.

I should have added that I tried the renaming trick to no avail.

[Rhakios]

Well, it could be that their speed testing site works through a browser app that uses Java. As Java is platform independent, Linux support isn't the issue.

Personally, I'd just delete the bl**dy thing.

[catgate]

Well, it could be that their speed testing site works through a browser app that uses Java. As Java is platform independent, Linux support isn't the issue.

Personally, I'd just delete the bl**dy thing.

Thank you for that kind sir. It is the down-to-earth sort advice I like.
Actually I have just done the upgrade from 10.04 to 12.04 and, as I was hoping for, it appears to have gone without a hitch. Although, I was hoping that by now there would have been enough fellow luddites to have ensured an abandonement of the "NEW IMPROVED" GNU format (if that is the proper term).
I did a dummy run on a spare machine last summer and managed to get rid of it, but it looks as though I shall have to retread the path.... if I can find the map.

[Ram]

Well, it could be that their speed testing site works through a browser app that uses Java. As Java is platform independent, Linux support isn't the issue.

Personally, I'd just delete the bl**dy thing.

Thank you for that kind sir. It is the down-to-earth sort advice I like.
Actually I have just done the upgrade from 10.04 to 12.04 and, as I was hoping for, it appears to have gone without a hitch. Although, I was hoping that by now there would have been enough fellow luddites to have ensured an abandonement of the "NEW IMPROVED" GNU format (if that is the proper term).
I did a dummy run on a spare machine last summer and managed to get rid of it, but it looks as though I shall have to retread the path.... if I can find the map.

Partly O/T
I also did the upgrade last weekend on my Laptop, but could I find my installed app... no. Installed LXDE and all my app were listed in menu has I'd expected... No Unity for me

[catgate]

"... if I can find the map."

It was a very easy path to tread. Installing "gnome shell" was all that was required, followed by a change to the "log in" routine.
The ".icedtea" nonsence remains, but I shall follow the advice of the sage and just wipe the contents of each folder in ".icedtea".

[catgate]

So....
After fiddling with 12.04 and getting back to "classic" I followed the sage's advice and wiped the contents of each file in .icedtea.
The world did not end and when I clicked on applications/accessories/help help came up quite happily.
(thank you Rhakios).

[Rhakios]

(thank you Rhakios).

It's a modern computerological miracle! So I'll pretend that I'm entitled to take the credit, cheers!