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Troubleshooting Apple Java 1.4.1 Update 1 (#2): Solution from Britannica support; Determining which build is installed; more

Troubleshooting Apple Java 1.4.1 Update 1 (#2): Solution from Britannica support; Determining which build is installed; more

CNET staff
3 min read

Solution from Britannica support team Some readers have noted that they are unable to access the Encyclopaedia Britannica Web site after applying the Java 1.4.1 Update 1. The Britannica support team offered some advice for solving the issue that may be applicable for other problematic applets, and lends some insight into the problems arising from the incremental updates:

"We have found that most customers have been able to correct the issues with our software and other java applications by installing the OS 10.2.6 update. It was necessary for them to reinstall the (Britannica) application after installing their operating system update. It was also necessary for them to avoid installing the Java 1.4.1 update because it will cause undesired results with most Java applications. Some Java applications are not able to function properly with this new update. However, they will function with 1.4, which does not have all of the class updates that are included 1.4.1. Apple released the update for Java and informed developers that they would be able to access the old and new versions with minor updates. This has not been the case for (some) Java application developers. The suggestions from Apple have not provided any positive results. If you have installed the Java 1.4.1 update, there is not a solution to this issue as of yet."

"[...]This issue affects Java applications that were utilizing Java 1.3.1 and/or QuickTime for Java. Apple is currently working with Java Developers to address this issue. A message from Apple to Java developers requests information about any applications that are using these two applets and their usage. I have provided a link to the Apple developer site: http://developer.apple.com/quicktime/qtjava/

"We, along with other Java developers, are currently working with Apple to correct this issue. We hope that Apple will be able to correct this issue relatively quickly."

Downgrading to Java 1.3.1 If you are having problems with Java 1.4.1 and want to downgrade, your best bet is to perform an Archive and Install process for a fresh Mac OS X 10.2.6 installation, and then download the standalone Apple Java 1.3.1 software.

UPDATE: MacFixIt reader Derek Butterfield notes that you can simply change the symbolic link pointing to the current version, which can be achieved by typing the following in the Terminal:

  • cd /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions
  • sudo ln -sfh 1.3.1 CurrentJDK

Yahoo Games broken in Safari, fixed in Internet Explorer Several readers report that after performing the Apple Java 1.4.1 update, some games on Yahoo.com are useless in Safari.

David Miller writes "The Canasta card game, at any rate, is broken. All of the text disappears, and instead all you can see are 'X's within little boxes.

Oddly, Miller notes that the Java update actually improves the functionality of the same applet in Microsoft Internet Explorer: "This appears to be a Safari-only problem. Doing the same through Internet Explorer works fine. And also, there's a slight beneficial side-effect to this. Months ago, one of the updates to Safari or Java had caused Yahoo's game text to become bitmapped; no more nice, smooth drawing of the screen fonts in the game display. This had been true for both Safari and Explorer. Now, with Java 1.4.1 Update 1, Yahoo's game text rendering in Explorer is smooth again."

So if you are a Yahoo Games fan, it looks like Microsoft's now discontinued but still supported browser is your best bet.

Determining which build is installed You can determine which build of Apple's Java software you have installed by typing java -version in the terminal. Build 1.4.1_01-69.1 is the newly released version (Update 1) and build 1.4.1_01-14 is the older release.

Feedback? Late-breakers@macfixit.com.

Resources

  • http://developer.apple.com...
  • Archive and Install
  • Java 1.3.1 software
  • Late-breakers@macfixit.com
  • More from Late-Breakers