Applets issue - 32bit browsers and 64bit JVM

[Pedro Duque Vieira]

Hi,

A while has passed and this problem persists. Users of a 64bit machine will
install the 64 bit JVM, as they go to run an applet or webstart on their
browser it will fail and ask the user to install java although it is
already installed. It fails cause the majority of web browsers are 32bit
even ie64bit can't be easily set up as the default browser (open ie64bit,
go to internet options and than click the programs tab, it won't let you
set ie64 as the default web browser).

The question is, when will this issue get addressed and more importantly *when
will we be able to deploy applets (or even webstart) and be sure users will
be able to run them?* Is this a top priority for java, or is it not such an
urgent issue?

I have given some thought to this particular issue and have a few possible
solutions in mind (of course this is just my 2 cents, just trying to help
reach a solution):

   1. When user downloads JVM, download and install both JVM 32bit and
   64bit version.
   2. When user download JVM, download both JVM 32bit and 64bit and install
   32bit version on demand.
   3. When user downloads 64bit JVM, prepare the system so that when the
   user tries to run a 32bit applet it will automatically download and install
   a 32bit JVM in a transparent way, to run the applet.


Thanks, best regards,

-- 
Pedro Duque Vieira