Tips on 10.6 & 10.5,10.4, 10.3 & earlier and Java

May 28, 2015  Also, update on java 6 for ppc, I got the developer preview to run on 10.4.11. Terminal still says I have java 1.5, but when I run the minecraft 1.6 launcher it says I am running java1.6.0-dp. Unfortunately, I got stuck at starting launcher.

Here is how one goes about upgrading to 10.4 in more detail.

Planning methods include both OC and Closed Circuit Rebreather. V-planner (free version download for mac. It includes planning for bailouts with SCR and OC legs in a CCR plan.

http://support.apple.com/kb/DL847 offers the most current Java for 10.4, and thus the most current Java you can run concurrently with Mac OS 9's Classic running in the background. If you need a more current Java, see this tip on 10.5 & 10.6 Java versions, and this tip about upgrading to 10.5. Note if your Apple menu -> About This Mac says you have an Intel processor, you can upgrade to 10.6.8 for less than 10.5 through 10.5.8. .stp viewer for mac. PowerPC (G4 and G5) users wishing to update to 10.5.8 must have at least an 867 Mhz processor (1 Ghz is higher), and be willing to lose Classic on the 10.5 boot to use Java in its latest form for PowerPC. Those with less than 867 single processor, update to 10.4.11 PowerPC after backing up and shutting down their Mac and disconnecting the backup to be able to install the 10.4 update for Java. Those who have no Firewire port as shown here:

can't update to 10.4, and need to read this tip on Java and 10.3 and earlier:

Either way, you won't be able to get the most secure Java version, unless you have a Mac OS X 10.7.3 compatible machine, which the tip on 10.5 & 10.6 Java versions discuss.

On a separate similar issue, this thread discusses running Adobe Flash on older browsers:

After Apple's switch from the PowerPC processors to the Intel processors for its Macintosh computers in 2006 and the switch to 64-bit Intel processors only with the introduction of the Core 2 Duo processor in 2007, the runtime environment for the latest version Java 6 was released for the 64-bit Intel platform only, leaving the PowerPC and 32-bit Intel platform behind, with Java 5.

Despite that fact, there were some Developer Preview releases of Java 6 that run also on the PowerPC and 32-bit Intel platform. The Developer Review supplies the JIT-compiler (Java HotSpot Core VM) only for the Intel platform, that means the Java VM runs in interpreter mode only on the PowerPC platform.

From the Readme:

Java Platform, Standard Edition (Java SE) 6 Release 1 Developer Preview adds Java SE 6 support to your Mac. This Developer Preview does not replace the existing installation of J2SE 5.0. This Developer Preview requires Mac OS X v10.4.5 or later.

This build has received only limited testing and should not be installed on a system with critical data.

See links below for install instructions.

The 1st download is Java SE 6 Release 1 Developer Preview 5.
The 2nd download is Java SE 6 Release 1 Developer Preview 5 - Developer Docs.
The 3rd download is Java SE 6 Release 1 Developer Preview 6.

More information:
Apple - Mac OS X 10.5: Developer preview of Java SE 6 for Leopard available from the Apple Developer Connection
Apple - Java for Mac OS X 10.5 Update 1

Minecraft Forum - Minecraft Working on Mac OS X 10.4.11 Tiger
How to force reinstall Java on Mac OS X
Stack Overflow - Java 6 on Mac PowerPC with Mac OS X 10.4
MacUser Forum - Java 6 SE under OS X 10.4.11 (German)

Mac OS X 10.4.5 and later

Does NOT work on Leopard, Installing on Leopard will damage your Java installation.
Leopard already includes a version of Java 6, but it only functions on 64-bit intel processors.
If you are running Leopard on a 32-bit intel Mac and would like to run Java 6 apps, I recommend using SoyLatte.
If you are running Leopard on a PowerPC Mac and would like to run Java 6 (or 7) apps, I recommend using OpenJDK 7.