[cgc]

My online college requires Java 1.5 which my Mac has (OS X 10.4.8 and Java 1.5). When certain features didn't work, I asked Tech Support who told me those features require Sun Java 1.5.

How is Sun Java 1.5 different from Apple Java 1.5 other than vendor? I think Tech Support is blowing smoke (again).

[Thinine]

Tech Support is blowing smoke. Apple's Java is a port of Sun's HotSpot. What was your particular problem?

[cgc]

My problem was that if I use Apple's Java I don't get the text formatting editor which is part of my online college site (and very useful for posting assignments in something other than plain text). They upgraded it but prior to that, I did get it to work by spoofing as IE6. I tried that but need to spoof Sun Java (if that's possible). I think Tech Support is making their job easier by saying "if it's not Sun Java on IE6+ or FireFox we don't support it and disable it."

[Thinine]

Have you tried FireFox on the Mac?

[cgc]

Yeah...I tried Firefox 2 on Mac and Windows and Windows works, Mac doesn't. Of course the only thing not working is the text formatting editor, but that's such a nice thing to have so posts look correct. I coiuld resort to editing in N|vu and uploading but that's so time consuming compared to direct editing.

[Brass]

Apple go to great lengths to make their Java completely compatible with Sun's distribution when they port it. When they find bugs, they even re-implement the bugs deliberately, for the sake of compatibility (so says one of their lead java engineers), and then they inform Sun of the bugs.

[cgc]

That's why I think they're simply making their job easier with the blanket policy to only support Sun Java, just in case there is a problem, not because there actually is. Thanks. I'll hassle them again and see if they stick to their guns.

[andi*pandi]

I love how they're taking a cross platform thing and making it browser-dependent.