Eclipse is my (Java, Python, Ruby, XML, <insert any other text format here) editor of choice, and it has been for many years. One thing that bothers me is that Eclipse package is outdated in Ubuntu: so, instead of using apt, I should resort to download/unpack/copy/create links to install it. These days are finished, though.
In fact, I have been introduced to Debian packaging and I contributed to the Debian package of the latest version of the Eclipse IDE (4.5.1). EDIT: Repository has been removed as obsolete.
This package is really simple (and in fact I used it to learn the packaging process for Debian/Ubuntu). How did I learn it? Recommended reading: How to package for Debian.
In the following days I will try to publish a PPA with the built package. In the meanwhile, if you want to try to build the package on your own, just: 1. git clone -b eclipse_4.5.1
2. cd eclipse-ide-java
3. cd eclipse-ide-java_4.5.1
4. debuild -i -us -uc -b
5. cd ..
Now you have a *.deb package waiting for you to be installed (via dpkg -i): upon installing it will fetch (via wget) the latest version of Eclipse, unpack, copy and create links.