Usability Tip:
That Java May Be Getting Old

by Larisa Thomason,
Senior Web Analyst,
NetMechanic, Inc.

Did you realize that many visitors can't access that great Java-based navigation menu you just included on your site? And it's not just people with old PC's or the diehards who still use Netscape 3.1. Even a visitor who just plugged in their new PC or upgraded their PC to run Windows XP may have problems accessing Java applets on your site.

Microsoft Vs. Sun

Microsoft's new operating system, Windows XP, promises a lot. It's supposed to be less buggy and crash prone than previous operating systems and comes bundled with a lot of new functions supposed to make life easier for users. However, one function is missing: the latest version of Java Virtual Machine (JVM) from Sun Microsystems. Instead, users have the option to download JVM and install it themselves.

This is due to a long-running licensing dispute between Sun and Microsoft dating back to Explorer 4.0. Microsoft wanted to change Java by adding hooks that would tie it more closely to Windows operating system. Sun resisted because the central tenet of Java was its interoperability. It was to be software that would run on everything from a PC to a coffeepot.

The settlement allowed Microsoft to distribute older versions of JVM for 7 years. So whether you bought your PC last week or last year, you probably have an old JVM version. In an industry where last year's products are already out-of-date, a 7-year-old software application is about as useful as a charcoal drawing on a cave wall.

Visitors Blame Java Applets

PC manufacturers have the option to include JVM on their products and most do, but few visitors upgrade their JVM version that came with their computer. And those consumers who upgrade their existing system to run XP will find that a clean install of XP wipes out the JVM. A new version is not supplied with IE 6.0 and Win XP. In addition, if users set up Windows to run at high security level settings, Java applets will be disabled. Users will have to go to Explorer preferences menu and manually edit their security settings to enable Java applets.

For years, Explorer users have been frustrated by slow-loading Java applets that often don't work. They blame the applets when the real problem is often the old copy of JVM that came as standard equipment on their new PC.

Older JVM versions can slow page load time considerably and a delay can cost you up to 1/3 or your visitors! Ever wonder how many visitors get spooked and leave at the first sight of the status bar message that notes "loading Java applet?" If you use applets on some of your pages, study your server logs to see if you could be losing visitors because of it.

Simple Applets Work Best

Applets can hurt the overall usability of your site by increasing download time and making the content less accessible to visitors with disabilities. Do some research before you include some neat effect that requires a Java applet. Test the applet on several different machines and in different browsers. Also consider if you really need it. Sometimes you can achieve the same effect using DHTML, CSS layers or even plain old HTML.

We tested different Java applets with the XP operating system and found that the simpler the applet, the better the chance that it will run correctly. Specifically, applications like countdown clocks did fine, but more complex applications like games or chat applets crashed the browser.

For instance, Excite's Tank Hunter arcade game didn't load. Neither did Yahoo Chat, but AOL chat worked fine. It all depends on how complex the underlying Java applet is.

It's always best to post a site that displays reliably across browsers. Still, if you just can't live without that applet, give your visitors some guidance on what to do if they have problems:

Now, both options require visitors to either download something new or switch browsers. Many visitors aren't willing to download a sizeable application just to look at your site. Visitors want information, not animation, and they want it quickly.

Unless you run a gaming site or other type of online business that requires dazzling special effects, complex applets may hurt more than they help.

More Options, More Problems

Sun's latest Java version works with Windows operating systems (Windows 95 and up) - but visitors have to understand why they need it and be willing to download it. Older versions may slightly inconvenience visitors, but they drive Java developers crazy. It's a lot of extra work to design applets that use the newest Java features but that also work in older JVM versions.

Now Microsoft is working on its own system to compete with Java, called C# and pronounced "C Sharp." C# is an object-oriented language that integrates well with C and C++.

What does this all mean for a Web designer? In the past few months, we've seen the release of new browser versions and operating systems. Visitors and developers both have more options and that leads to even more compatibility problems. Although some sites ignore compatibility - like when MSN.com took the extraordinary step of locking out non-Microsoft browsers - other sites spend a lot of time and money making their sites accessible to all visitors.

NetMechanic has two tools that help webmasters analyze and test their sites for compatibility. HTML Toolbox will scan your Web page for HTML coding errors and alert you to HTML tags that are browser-specific. Browser Photo shows you actual screen shots of your Web page in 16 different browser version, screen resolution, and operating system combinations.