Interactive Web Demos: Requirements and Known Issues

Note: The information below is outdated — go to this page for updated information.

This demo requires that Java is enabled in your web browser. The applet is compatible with Java 1.1 which is supported by the Java Virtual Machines (JVM) that are standard components of Netscape and Microsoft web browsers, with exceptions described below.

Some releases of Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 did not include a JVM — when you encounter an applet in a webpage with those releases, a pop-up window will prompt you to download Microsoft's VM. However, IE 5.5 Service Pack 2 added the JVM and eliminated that scenario. It is uncertain whether IE 6 will include a JVM as a standard part of the installation — you may need to download and install a JVM.

Addendum (Spring 2002): A Microsoft JVM download/install confirmation dialog popped up the first time I loaded a web page with an applet in IE after I installed Windows XP — the applet loaded immediately after I confirmed.

Addendum (Fall 2002): The Microsoft JVM may not be automatically installed if you have recently installed Windows XP. You can install the JVM by installing Windows XP Service Pack 1. Microsoft shut down the Install On Demand behavior of applet links due to a lawsuit. This situation will probably flip flop some more since Sun's suit against Microsoft is unresolved — check Microsoft's latest instructions for Java support at http://www.microsoft.com/java/xp.htm.

Even with a JVM installed, an applet will not execute if Java is disabled in your browser. To enable Java in IE, choose "Tools" > "Internet Options..." from the pull-down menu, click on the "Advanced" tab and turn on the "Java console enabled" checkbox in the "Microsoft VM" group. If the Java options do not appear, a JVM is probably not installed in IE. To enable Java in Netscape, choose "Edit" > "Preferences...", select the "Advanced" category root and turn on the "Enable Java" box.

This applet is implemented with Sun's JDK 1.1.8 and a 3rd party Java package.