Cross Section

August 7, 1997. Last modified May 14, 1999.

Compatibility issues

This applet won't work in all browsers and applet viewers. I've followed the Java specifications and spent many hours trying out different workarounds, so blame Netscape and Microsoft if there is a problem. The ones in which I've seen or been informed that it does work are

  • Power Macintosh Netscape 3 (runs great even on a measly 75 MHz Mac)
  • Power Macintosh MRJ 1.5 Applet Runner (ditto)
  • Sun Netscape 4 (somewhat irregular speed, but otherwise OK)
  • Sun Appletviewer
  • Windows NT Netscape 2.01, 4.03-4.05
  • Windows NT Internet Explorer 3.02, 4.0
  • Windows 95 Netscape 3.03 (usually), 4.03, 4.04
  • Windows 95 Internet Explorer 3.02
  • OS/2 Netscape 2.02
  • HP-UX Netscape 3.01
  • Linux Netscape 4.03
There are problems with
  • Windows 95 Internet Explorer 3.0, which doesn't update the graphics properly
  • Windows NT 4.0 Internet Explorer 3.0, which is totally unable to handle transparent images in Java (really pathetic for a browser that was proudly shipped with the operating system, Mr. Gates)
  • Macintosh Netscape 4, where a bug in the PixelGrabber class ruins the transparency of the fruit images
On at least some machines
  • Sun Netscape 3 often won't start the applet at all (due to a bug in the MediaTracker class) and occasionally crash
  • Windows 95 Netscape 3.0 and 3.01 will crash
  • Irix 4.3 Netscape 3.0 won't start the applet