by 
The Curious Bag
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<h4 class="dechead">On One Hand: Java is a Platform
Java is a programming language developed by Sun Microsystems. Java allows the creation of small programs, called applets. These applets need the Java platform to run. The platform is downloaded from the Sun website, and applets will run. There may be a delay when the applet starts. But once loaded, the applet should run as well as any other program on your system.
On the Other: Java has Problems
Java platform updates create some problems. Java does not update like most software packages. Instead, each new Java platform release is a new platform. The older version must be uninstalled before the new version can be installed. Failure to do so may cause both platforms to be called when an applet is loaded, causing a decrease in performance, and possibly a crash.
Bottom Line
Java provides a ton of functionality, especially on the web. As long as you have only one version of the Java platform installed, you should be able to use Java without any significant degradation of performance. If you do have problems, check to make sure only one platform exits.
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