|
The banner above includes an applet with
the A-Square logo floating behind the text
Welcome to Rart®
Using Java to Create
Random Art
If you cannot see the animation, your
browser may not be Java capable or Java enabled. Since it is important
that the Rart universes be observable in the most common browsers the
universes themselves use Java as defined by JDK 1.1.8. This means that
they can be seen in Microsoft Explorer and AOL browsers that support
Java as defined in JDK 1.1.4, thereby making the Rart universes
viewable by almost anybody. However, if you got here because you did
not see the floating logo, please read on!
In the beginning of Java , through 1999, there was a question
if the available Java capable browsers were compatible and/or enabled
by default. The situation is now quite changed and all main stream
browsers are either built Java capable or offer Java by means of a
plug in from Sun. They are also mostly enabled by default and even
without the option to turn Java off. It is particularly gratifying that
AOL browsers since AOL 5.0 have been Java enabled, with no
turnoff option.
Internet Explorer 4.0 and later is OK. My new Windows
XP with IE 6.0 came with Java enabled and a Java environment claimed to
be 1.1.4. However, it also offers an option (Tools >Internet Options . . . >
Advanced) to turn on a Java plug in from Sun, if you have it
(One of the crucial items in the Microsoft antitrust court case, was if
MS should be required to distribute the Java plug in from Sun and if
they did, should it be enabled by default.) Unfortunately
the
Sun
plug
in
breaks
some
older
applets including the one I had as a
banner on this website for a very long time, but it is OK with the
present banner.
Netscape Navigator 4.5 is OK and does not seem to have
a turnoff option. While Navigator 6 + was dangerously unstable, Netscape
7.0 seems OK. It offers the option under Edit > Preferences > Advanced
to disable/enable Java 2. Enabling the optionally downloaded plug in
from Sun, breaks old applets just as for Explorer.
The story is the same for Macintosh, Mac OS 9.0 as
well as OS X. All main browsers work and are normally enabled. However,
older Macintoshes don't handle xor painting correctly, which brakes the
Eggs universe. The Lines and the Polygons also look funny on my G4
Laptop under OS X 1.2. I was extremely pleased to note, however, that
the new browser that comes with OS X 1.4, Tiger, the Safari, has a
beautiful and fast Java engine. While it can be disabled (under Preferences), it is
normally enabled and, again, really, really nice!
For Linux/Unix, I have also checked Opera, which comes
with an optional Java plug in from Sun. My RedHat Linux came with
Galeon
using a Sun plug in (1.3.1_02) and Netscape 4.78 using Java
1.1.5. which all are good for observing Rart universes.
As of now, 2010, matters seem to have stabilized. Most
browsers, Firefox, Mozilla, Crome from
Google, AOL etc. come with Java enabled and are expected to use
a Java plug in from Sun, Sun has recently been taken over by Oracle but
Oracle has pledged continued support for Java of which Oracle has been
a heavy user anyway. Microsoft is supporting Java in the same
way, but is posting two levels of warning messages in Internet
Explorer 8.0.
|
Also in Swedish