The Laj and Maj applets are written for Java 1.2 (a.k.a. J2SE 1.2), and theoretically any web browser that fully supports this (or any higher version) should work. However, for best compatibility we recommend that you download and install the official Java Plug-in software from Sun Microsystems. This plug-in generally works with a variety of web browsers, including Internet Explorer, Netscape, and Mozilla.
The main overview page for the Java Plug-in product is http://java.sun.com/products/plugin/, and an assortment of download links is available at http://java.sun.com/j2se/downloads/. Sun also provides a simplified download facility (latest version only), which is accessible via the "Download NOW" button at http://java.com/. For details about exactly which platforms are supported, see http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.5.0/system-configurations.html.
The plug-in is usually bundled with the Java 2 Runtime Environment (JRE) and the Java 2 Software Development Kit (JDK/SDK). If you are given a choice between these, either will do; the JRE is smaller because it doesn't include developer tools, but both of them contain the plug-in. Note that even though Laj does not currently use any Java features beyond 1.2, as of this writing it is compiled with version 1.3.1 of Sun's SDK, so running it with the corresponding version (or higher) of the plug-in is recommended. We have, however, observed some drawing anomalies with the 1.4.x series on some platforms (including "phantom repeats" in the symbol panel and failure to draw the zoom box and crosshairs), so you may want to stick with 1.3.x or 1.5.x.
Each download should come with installation instructions (read them!), but here are some additional platform-specific tips.
We recommend that you delete any previously installed versions of the plug-in, JRE, JDK, and/or SDK before you install the new one, to avoid getting them mixed. For example, in Windows 98 you can do this by opening the Start menu and choosing Settings - Control Panel - Add/Remove Programs, then selecting from the list the items you want to uninstall. After the new installation is complete, you may need to close and restart your browser to make it recognize the new plug-in, or even reboot your computer.
Note that versions of Sun's Java above 1.3.x will not work on Windows 95.
Currently Sun does not have a Java Plug-in for Macs, but Mac OS X ships with a sufficiently recent version of Java already included, and further updates may be available via Apple's Software Update mechanism (depending on your version of OS X). We have observed display anomalies in some versions (e.g., red circle has a black background), but Laj et al. should still be usable. For Mac OS Classic, Apple has a Java runtime called MRJ 2.2.5, but unfortunately it only supports Java 1.1.8 (not Java 1.2) and thus will not work with our applets.
For more information about Java on the Mac, see http://www.apple.com/java/ and http://developer.apple.com/java/.
Sun now provides versions of the Java Plug-in for Linux, in either RPM or self-extracting binary format. Be sure to read the installation notes first, for system requirements and detailed instructions.
Note that Solaris 8 already includes Java 1.2, though you may want to install a newer version. Sun provides versions of the Java Plug-in for Solaris on both Sparc and x86 processors. Be sure to read the installation notes first, for system requirements and detailed instructions. In particular, note that you may need to apply some Solaris patches to your system before installing Java, and possibly obtain additional fonts. You might also want to uninstall any previous versions of the plug-in, JRE, JDK, and/or SDK to avoid getting them mixed. After the installation, you may need to close and restart your browser to make it recognize the new plug-in.
One last bit of advice: at one point during our installation, we were instructed to enter the command xhost + , but this is a bad idea because it seriously compromises your system security. If this message appears, we recommend using proper security protocols instead.