here's the error report:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#
# An unexpected error has been detected by HotSpot Virtual Machine:
#
# SIGSEGV (0xb) at pc=0xb7fd4166, pid=7848, tid=3085207216
#
# Java VM: Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (1.5.0_12-b04 mixed mode, sharing)
# Problematic frame:
# C [ld-linux.so.2+0x6166]
#

--------------- T H R E A D ---------------

Current thread (0x0805ca00): JavaThread "main" [_thread_in_vm, id=7848]

siginfo:si_signo=11, si_errno=0, si_code=1, si_addr=0x20178cb0

Registers:
EAX=0x08178c90, EBX=0xb7fe8ff4, ECX=0xb22055dc, EDX=0x86000000
ESP=0xbf936e20, EBP=0xbf936f44, ESI=0xbf936e30, EDI=0x08178c90
EIP=0xb7fd4166, CR2=0x20178cb0, EFLAGS=0x00010292

Top of Stack: (sp=0xbf936e20)
0xbf936e20: 00031e7c 000326bc 0002e000 00000003
0xbf936e30: 00000000 b7638058 000000a8 b7f93ff4
0xbf936e40: b7f95140 0817c778 00000000 b7eb83e0
0xbf936e50: b7f95140 00000060 b7fce860 00000003
0xbf936e60: b7fe9020 bf936e00 bf936fb8 00000007
0xbf936e70: 0817c778 00000801 00000000 00037f10
0xbf936e80: bf936e20 08178c90 bf936fbc bf936ff0
0xbf936e90: b7fe9654 b7f95101 000003a0 00000041

Instructions: (pc=0xb7fd4166)
0xb7fd4156: 21 e9 56 01 00 00 8d 74 26 00 8b 85 40 ff ff ff
0xb7fd4166: 89 4c 90 20 8b 51 08 83 c1 08 85 d2 0f 84 3a 01

Stack: [0xbf73e000,0xbf93e000), sp=0xbf936e20, free space=2019k
Native frames: (J=compiled Java code, j=interpreted, Vv=VM code, C=native code)
C [ld-linux.so.2+0x6166]
C [ld-linux.so.2+0x7a98]
C [ld-linux.so.2+0x11544]
C [ld-linux.so.2+0xd5d6]
C [ld-linux.so.2+0x10f5e]
C [libdl.so.2+0xc19]
C [ld-linux.so.2+0xd5d6]
C [libdl.so.2+0x12bc]
C [libdl.so.2+0xb51] dlopen+0x41
V [libjvm.so+0x28cd93]
V [libjvm.so+0x1eb602]
C [libjava.so+0xa64c] Java_java_lang_ClassLoader_00024NativeLibrary_load+0x6c
j java.lang.ClassLoader$NativeLibrary.load(Ljava/lang/String;)V+0
j java.lang.ClassLoader.loadLibrary0(Ljava/lang/Class;Ljava/io/File;)Z+300
j java.lang.ClassLoader.loadLibrary(Ljava/lang/Class;Ljava/lang/String;Z)V+48
j java.lang.Runtime.load0(Ljava/lang/Class;Ljava/lang/String;)V+57
j java.lang.System.load(Ljava/lang/String;)V+7
v ~StubRoutines::call_stub
V [libjvm.so+0x17b19c]
V [libjvm.so+0x28fb38]
V [libjvm.so+0x17afcf]
V [libjvm.so+0x1a5ba2]
V [libjvm.so+0x196fcc]
C [libjava.so+0xfc04] JNU_CallStaticMethodByName+0xe4
C [libawt.so+0x5ce80] AWT_OnLoad+0x1b0
C [libawt.so+0x5d526] JNI_OnLoad+0x26
C [libjava.so+0xa7dd] Java_java_lang_ClassLoader_00024NativeLibrary_load+0x1fd
j java.lang.ClassLoader$NativeLibrary.load(Ljava/lang/String;)V+0
j java.lang.ClassLoader.loadLibrary0(Ljava/lang/Class;Ljava/io/File;)Z+300
j java.lang.ClassLoader.loadLibrary(Ljava/lang/Class;Ljava/lang/String;Z)V+217
j java.lang.Runtime.loadLibrary0(Ljava/lang/Class;Ljava/lang/String;)V+54
j java.lang.System.loadLibrary(Ljava/lang/String;)V+7
j sun.security.action.LoadLibraryAction.run()Ljava/lang/Object;+4
v ~StubRoutines::call_stub
V [libjvm.so+0x17b19c]
V [libjvm.so+0x28fb38]
V [libjvm.so+0x17afcf]
V [libjvm.so+0x1d8a7d]
C [libjava.so+0x930d]
Java_java_security_AccessController_doPrivileged__Ljava_security_PrivilegedAction_2+0x3d
j java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Ljava/security/PrivilegedAction;)Ljava/lang/Object;
+0
j sun.awt.NativeLibLoader.loadLibraries()V+9
j sun.awt.DebugHelper.<clinit>()V+0
v ~StubRoutines::call_stub
V [libjvm.so+0x17b19c]
V [libjvm.so+0x28fb38]
V [libjvm.so+0x17afcf]
V [libjvm.so+0x158d01]
V [libjvm.so+0x157800]
V [libjvm.so+0x156877]
V [libjvm.so+0x261031]
V [libjvm.so+0x2627af]
V [libjvm.so+0x2625da]
V [libjvm.so+0x16fc6e]
j java.awt.Component.<clinit>()V+79
v ~StubRoutines::call_stub
V [libjvm.so+0x17b19c]
V [libjvm.so+0x28fb38]
V [libjvm.so+0x17afcf]
V [libjvm.so+0x158d01]
V [libjvm.so+0x157800]
V [libjvm.so+0x156877]
V [libjvm.so+0x157b19]
V [libjvm.so+0x156877]
V [libjvm.so+0x157b19]
V [libjvm.so+0x156877]
V [libjvm.so+0x157b19]
V [libjvm.so+0x156877]
V [libjvm.so+0x157b19]
V [libjvm.so+0x156877]
V [libjvm.so+0x260dba]
V [libjvm.so+0x260911]
V [libjvm.so+0x16ea39]
j processing.app.Base.main([Ljava/lang/String;)V+0
v ~StubRoutines::call_stub
V [libjvm.so+0x17b19c]
V [libjvm.so+0x28fb38]
V [libjvm.so+0x17afcf]
V [libjvm.so+0x1a5ba2]
V [libjvm.so+0x196db2]
C [java+0x1873]
C [libc.so.6+0x16450] __libc_start_main+0xe0

Java frames: (J=compiled Java code, j=interpreted, Vv=VM code)
j java.lang.ClassLoader$NativeLibrary.load(Ljava/lang/String;)V+0
j java.lang.ClassLoader.loadLibrary0(Ljava/lang/Class;Ljava/io/File;)Z+300
j java.lang.ClassLoader.loadLibrary(Ljava/lang/Class;Ljava/lang/String;Z)V+48
j java.lang.Runtime.load0(Ljava/lang/Class;Ljava/lang/String;)V+57
j java.lang.System.load(Ljava/lang/String;)V+7
v ~StubRoutines::call_stub
j java.lang.ClassLoader$NativeLibrary.load(Ljava/lang/String;)V+0
j java.lang.ClassLoader.loadLibrary0(Ljava/lang/Class;Ljava/io/File;)Z+300
j java.lang.ClassLoader.loadLibrary(Ljava/lang/Class;Ljava/lang/String;Z)V+217
j java.lang.Runtime.loadLibrary0(Ljava/lang/Class;Ljava/lang/String;)V+54
j java.lang.System.loadLibrary(Ljava/lang/String;)V+7
j sun.security.action.LoadLibraryAction.run()Ljava/lang/Object;+4
v ~StubRoutines::call_stub
j java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Ljava/security/PrivilegedAction;)Ljava/lang/Object;
+0
j sun.awt.NativeLibLoader.loadLibraries()V+9
j sun.awt.DebugHelper.<clinit>()V+0
v ~StubRoutines::call_stub
j java.awt.Component.<clinit>()V+79
v ~StubRoutines::call_stub
j processing.app.Base.main([Ljava/lang/String;)V+0
v ~StubRoutines::call_stub

--------------- P R O C E S S ---------------

Java Threads: ( => current thread )
0x080a71a0 JavaThread "Low Memory Detector" daemon [_thread_blocked, id=7854]
0x080a5c90 JavaThread "CompilerThread0" daemon [_thread_blocked, id=7853]
0x080a4ce0 JavaThread "Signal Dispatcher" daemon [_thread_blocked, id=7852]
0x0809d238 JavaThread "Finalizer" daemon [_thread_in_vm, id=7851]
0x0809c530 JavaThread "Reference Handler" daemon [_thread_blocked, id=7850]
=>0x0805ca00 JavaThread "main" [_thread_in_vm, id=7848]

Other Threads:
0x0809b0f0 VMThread [id=7849]
0x080a8768 WatcherThread [id=7855]

VM state:not at safepoint (normal execution)

VM Mutex/Monitor currently owned by a thread: None

Heap
def new generation total 576K, used 81K [0x88d50000, 0x88df0000, 0x89230000)
eden space 512K, 3% used [0x88d50000, 0x88d54438, 0x88dd0000)
from space 64K, 100% used [0x88de0000, 0x88df0000, 0x88df0000)
to space 64K, 0% used [0x88dd0000, 0x88dd0000, 0x88de0000)
tenured generation total 1408K, used 99K [0x89230000, 0x89390000, 0x8cd50000)
the space 1408K, 7% used [0x89230000, 0x89248e00, 0x89248e00, 0x89390000)
compacting perm gen total 8192K, used 250K [0x8cd50000, 0x8d550000, 0x90d50000)
the space 8192K, 3% used [0x8cd50000, 0x8cd8e868, 0x8cd8ea00, 0x8d550000)
ro space 8192K, 64% used [0x90d50000, 0x9127f438, 0x9127f600, 0x91550000)
rw space 12288K, 48% used [0x91550000, 0x91b13248, 0x91b13400, 0x92150000)

Dynamic libraries:
08048000-08057000 r-xp 00000000 08:01 720430 /home/h/processing-0135/java/bin/java
08057000-08059000 rwxp 0000e000 08:01 720430 /home/h/processing-0135/java/bin/java
08059000-083c2000 rwxp 08059000 00:00 0 [heap]
88d50000-88df0000 rwxp 88d50000 00:00 0
88df0000-89230000 rwxp 88df0000 00:00 0
89230000-89390000 rwxp 89230000 00:00 0
89390000-8cd50000 rwxp 89390000 00:00 0
8cd50000-8d550000 rwxp 8cd50000 00:00 0
8d550000-90d50000 rwxp 8d550000 00:00 0
90d50000-91280000 r-xs 00001000 08:01
722621 /home/h/processing-0135/java/lib/i386/client/classes.jsa
91280000-91550000 rwxp 91280000 00:00 0
91550000-91b14000 rwxp 00531000 08:01
722621 /home/h/processing-0135/java/lib/i386/client/classes.jsa
91b14000-92150000 rwxp 91b14000 00:00 0
92150000-9221c000 rwxp 00af5000 08:01
722621 /home/h/processing-0135/java/lib/i386/client/classes.jsa
9221c000-92550000 rwxp 9221c000 00:00 0
92550000-92554000 r-xs 00bc1000 08:01
722621 /home/h/processing-0135/java/lib/i386/client/classes.jsa
92554000-92950000 rwxp 92554000 00:00 0
b21d4000-b2203000 r-xp 00000000 08:01
722617 /home/h/processing-0135/java/lib/i386/xawt/libmawt.so
b2203000-b2206000 rwxp 0002e000 08:01
722617 /home/h/processing-0135/java/lib/i386/xawt/libmawt.so
b2206000-b2207000 rwxp b2206000 00:00 0
b2207000-b22cd000 r-xp 00000000 08:01
721827 /home/h/processing-0135/java/lib/i386/libmlib_image.so
b22cd000-b22ce000 rwxp 000c5000 08:01
721827 /home/h/processing-0135/java/lib/i386/libmlib_image.so
b22ce000-b232e000 r-xp 00000000 08:01
721843 /home/h/processing-0135/java/lib/i386/libawt.so
b232e000-b2334000 rwxp 0005f000 08:01
721843 /home/h/processing-0135/java/lib/i386/libawt.so
b2334000-b2358000 rwxp b2334000 00:00 0
b2358000-b235f000 r-xs 00000000 08:01 718552 /home/h/processing-0135/lib/registry.jar
b235f000-b2366000 r-xs 00000000 08:01 718547 /home/h/processing-0135/lib/oro.jar
b2366000-b23d3000 r-xs 00000000 08:01 718530 /home/h/processing-0135/lib/antlr.jar
b23d3000-b23fb000 r-xs 00000000 08:01 718533 /home/h/processing-0135/lib/core.jar
b23fb000-b2496000 r-xs 00000000 08:01 718540 /home/h/processing-0135/lib/pde.jar
b2496000-b255a000 r-xs 00000000 08:01
721795 /home/h/processing-0135/java/lib/ext/localedata.jar
b255a000-b2581000 r-xs 00000000 08:01
721794 /home/h/processing-0135/java/lib/ext/sunjce_provider.jar
b2581000-b25ac000 r-xs 00000000 08:01
721793 /home/h/processing-0135/java/lib/ext/sunpkcs11.jar
b25ac000-b25ad000 ---p b25ac000 00:00 0
b25ad000-b262d000 rwxp b25ad000 00:00 0
b262d000-b2630000 ---p b262d000 00:00 0
b2630000-b26ae000 rwxp b2630000 00:00 0
b26ae000-b26b1000 ---p b26ae000 00:00 0
b26b1000-b272f000 rwxp b26b1000 00:00 0
b272f000-b2732000 ---p b272f000 00:00 0
b2732000-b27b0000 rwxp b2732000 00:00 0
b27b0000-b27b7000 r-xs 00000000 08:01 2012 /usr/lib/gconv/gconv-modules.cache
b27b7000-b27f6000 r-xp 00000000 08:01 62594 /usr/lib/locale/en_US.utf8/LC_CTYPE
b27f6000-b27f9000 ---p b27f6000 00:00 0
b27f9000-b2877000 rwxp b27f9000 00:00 0
b2877000-b287a000 ---p b2877000 00:00 0
b287a000-b28f8000 rwxp b287a000 00:00 0
b28f8000-b28f9000 ---p b28f8000 00:00 0
b28f9000-b298a000 rwxp b28f9000 00:00 0
b298a000-b29a6000 rwxp b298a000 00:00 0
b29a6000-b29a7000 rwxp b29a6000 00:00 0
b29a7000-b29c4000 rwxp b29a7000 00:00 0
b29c4000-b29c5000 rwxp b29c4000 00:00 0
b29c5000-b29c6000 rwxp b29c5000 00:00 0
b29c6000-b29c8000 rwxp b29c6000 00:00 0
b29c8000-b29e4000 rwxp b29c8000 00:00 0
b29e4000-b29e8000 rwxp b29e4000 00:00 0
b29e8000-b2a04000 rwxp b29e8000 00:00 0
b2a04000-b2a12000 rwxp b2a04000 00:00 0
b2a12000-b2a8f000 rwxp b2a12000 00:00 0
b2a8f000-b2b3f000 rwxp b2a8f000 00:00 0
b2b3f000-b4a8f000 rwxp b2b3f000 00:00 0
b4a8f000-b52e1000 r-xs 00000000 08:01
720263 /home/h/processing-0135/java/lib/charsets.jar
b52e1000-b52f6000 r-xs 00000000 08:01 720427 /home/h/processing-0135/java/lib/jce.jar
b52f6000-b536d000 r-xs 00000000 08:01 719988 /home/h/processing-0135/java/lib/jsse.jar
b536d000-b53d6000 rwxp b536d000 00:00 0
b53d6000-b7605000 r-xs 00000000 08:01 720356 /home/h/processing-0135/java/lib/rt.jar
b7605000-b7614000 r-xp 00000000 08:01
721824 /home/h/processing-0135/java/lib/i386/libzip.so
b7614000-b7616000 rwxp 0000e000 08:01
721824 /home/h/processing-0135/java/lib/i386/libzip.so
b7616000-b7637000 r-xp 00000000 08:01
721831 /home/h/processing-0135/java/lib/i386/libjava.so
b7637000-b7639000 rwxp 00020000 08:01
721831 /home/h/processing-0135/java/lib/i386/libjava.so
b7639000-b7642000 r-xp 00000000 08:01 5026 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libnss_files-2.7.so
b7642000-b7644000 rwxp 00008000 08:01 5026 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libnss_files-2.7.so
b7644000-b764c000 r-xp 00000000 08:01 5477 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libnss_nis-2.7.so
b764c000-b764e000 rwxp 00007000 08:01 5477 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libnss_nis-2.7.so
b764e000-b7662000 r-xp 00000000 08:01 2100 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libnsl-2.7.so
b7662000-b7664000 rwxp 00013000 08:01 2100 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libnsl-2.7.so
b7664000-b7666000 rwxp b7664000 00:00 0
b7668000-b7673000 r-xp 00000000 08:01
721816 /home/h/processing-0135/java/lib/i386/libverify.so
b7673000-b7674000 rwxp 0000b000 08:01
721816 /home/h/processing-0135/java/lib/i386/libverify.so
b7674000-b767c000 rwxs 00000000 08:01 716710 /tmp/hsperfdata_h/7848
b767c000-b769f000 r-xp 00000000 08:01 2079 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libm-2.7.so
b769f000-b76a1000 rwxp 00023000 08:01 2079 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libm-2.7.so
b76a1000-b7a13000 r-xp 00000000 08:01
722618 /home/h/processing-0135/java/lib/i386/client/libjvm.so
b7a13000-b7a31000 rwxp 00371000 08:01
722618 /home/h/processing-0135/java/lib/i386/client/libjvm.so
b7a31000-b7e49000 rwxp b7a31000 00:00 0
b7e49000-b7f92000 r-xp 00000000 08:01 2057 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libc-2.7.so
b7f92000-b7f93000 r-xp 00149000 08:01 2057 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libc-2.7.so
b7f93000-b7f95000 rwxp 0014a000 08:01 2057 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libc-2.7.so
b7f95000-b7f99000 rwxp b7f95000 00:00 0
b7f99000-b7f9b000 r-xp 00000000 08:01 2077 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libdl-2.7.so
b7f9b000-b7f9d000 rwxp 00001000 08:01 2077 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libdl-2.7.so
b7f9d000-b7fb1000 r-xp 00000000 08:01 5482 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libpthread-2.7.so
b7fb1000-b7fb3000 rwxp 00013000 08:01 5482 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libpthread-2.7.so
b7fb3000-b7fb5000 rwxp b7fb3000 00:00 0
b7fb7000-b7fb9000 r-xs 00000000 08:01
721792 /home/h/processing-0135/java/lib/ext/dnsns.jar
b7fb9000-b7fc0000 r-xp 00000000 08:01 2101 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libnss_compat-2.7.so
b7fc0000-b7fc2000 rwxp 00006000 08:01 2101 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libnss_compat-2.7.so
b7fc2000-b7fc8000 r-xp 00000000 08:01
722603 /home/h/processing-0135/java/lib/i386/native_threads/libhpi.so
b7fc8000-b7fc9000 rwxp 00006000 08:01
722603 /home/h/processing-0135/java/lib/i386/native_threads/libhpi.so
b7fc9000-b7fca000 rwxp b7fc9000 00:00 0
b7fca000-b7fcb000 r-xp b7fca000 00:00 0
b7fcb000-b7fcd000 rwxp b7fcb000 00:00 0
b7fcd000-b7fce000 r-xp b7fcd000 00:00 0 [vdso]
b7fce000-b7fe8000 r-xp 00000000 08:01 5495 /lib/ld-2.7.so
b7fe8000-b7fea000 rwxp 00019000 08:01 5495 /lib/ld-2.7.so
bf73e000-bf741000 ---p bf73e000 00:00 0
bf741000-bf93e000 rwxp bfe03000 00:00 0 [stack]

VM Arguments:
java_command: processing.app.Base
Launcher Type: SUN_STANDARD

Environment Variables:
CLASSPATH=java/lib/rt.jar:lib:lib/build:lib/pde.jar:lib/core.jar:lib/antlr.jar:lib/oro.jar:lib/registry.jar:lib/mrj.jar
PATH=.:java/bin:/home/h/bin:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/games
LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/home/h/processing-0135/java/lib/i386/client:/home/h/processing-0135/java/lib/i386:/home/h/processing-0135/java/../lib/i386
SHELL=/bin/bash
DISPLAY=:0.0

Signal Handlers:
SIGSEGV: [libjvm.so+0x32b1b0], sa_mask[0]=0x7ffbfeff, sa_flags=0x10000004
SIGBUS: [libjvm.so+0x32b1b0], sa_mask[0]=0x7ffbfeff, sa_flags=0x10000004
SIGFPE: [libjvm.so+0x28eb70], sa_mask[0]=0x7ffbfeff, sa_flags=0x10000004
SIGPIPE: [libjvm.so+0x28eb70], sa_mask[0]=0x7ffbfeff, sa_flags=0x10000004
SIGILL: [libjvm.so+0x28eb70], sa_mask[0]=0x7ffbfeff, sa_flags=0x10000004
SIGUSR1: SIG_DFL, sa_mask[0]=0x00000000, sa_flags=0x00000000
SIGUSR2: [libjvm.so+0x290fc0], sa_mask[0]=0x00000000, sa_flags=0x10000004
SIGHUP: [libjvm.so+0x2909f0], sa_mask[0]=0x7ffbfeff, sa_flags=0x10000004
SIGINT: [libjvm.so+0x2909f0], sa_mask[0]=0x7ffbfeff, sa_flags=0x10000004
SIGQUIT: [libjvm.so+0x2909f0], sa_mask[0]=0x7ffbfeff, sa_flags=0x10000004
SIGTERM: [libjvm.so+0x2909f0], sa_mask[0]=0x7ffbfeff, sa_flags=0x10000004


--------------- S Y S T E M ---------------

OS:lenny/sid

uname:Linux 2.6.24-5-generic #1 SMP Thu Jan 24 19:45:21 UTC 2008 i686
libc:glibc 2.7 NPTL 2.7
rlimit: STACK 8192k, CORE 0k, NPROC 8187, NOFILE 1024, AS infinity
load average:2.04 0.92 0.62

CPU:total 1 (cores per cpu 1, threads per core 1) family 6 model 9 stepping 5, cmov, cx8, fxsr,
mmx, sse, sse2

Memory: 4k page, physical 1034828k(357720k free), swap 746068k(746068k free)

vm_info: Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (1.5.0_12-b04) for linux-x86, built on May 2 2007 03:26:22
by java_re with gcc 3.2.1-7a (J2SE release)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
i was initially having problems with jikes, so i compiled it myself , the i got this error when
attempting to run processing:
http://projava: xcb_xlib.c:50: xcb_xlib_unlock: Assertion `c->xlib.lock' failed.

found this post:
http://processing.org/discourse/yabb_beta/YaBB.cgi?board=SoftwareBugs;action=display;num=1196933526

and the sed hack worked, but now i get this:An unexpected error has been detected by HotSpot
Virtual Machine:

# SIGSEGV (0xb) at pc=0xb7fd4166, pid=7848, tid=3085207216
#
# Java VM: Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (1.5.0_12-b04 mixed mode, sharing)
# Problematic frame:
# C [ld-linux.so.2+0x6166]

and the error report is posted above.
operating system: kubuntu 7.10
i'm not sure what is meant by 'revision number', but i'll be glad to do so if i found out what it is.
went on #processing in freenode to find out, but nobody was on. hope someone can help. later!

that looks like the included version of java is unhappy on your machine.
rename the 'java' folder and replace it with a symlink to a more up-to-date
java install for your platform (see the platforms page).

closing bug, no followup for 6 months.