...
Download and install the latest version of Eclipse (3.6 SR1 or 3.6.1). Go to http://www.eclipse.org/downloads/ and choose the Eclipse IDE for Java EE Developers. Again, even if you have a Windows 64 bit desktop you probably want to choose the 32 bit application installation.
Note: There is a bug in Eclipse 3.6.1 that puts Eclipse into a loop during Workspace initialization with a message "Initializing Java Tooling (1%)" on the bottom status line. If you experience this problem, download the patch files attached to Bug 327801.
When Maven runs under Eclipse, it wants to run in a full JDK with a complier instead of just a JRE. You can specify the version of java you want to run Eclipse under by editing the eclipse.ini text file in the eclipse install directory you just created. Add -vm on one line and then on the next line enter the path to the javaw.exe (windows) or java (linux) executable program you just installed. If you make this change before you run Eclipse for the first time, the version of Java you installed will be stored in the Eclipse table of java runtimes and will be the default for all applications, servers, and tools.
...