Yahoo! Groups applet

I am not especially technically minded so this is a cry for some help
from someone with technical expertise and a way of putting it across
to the layman.
Here is my problem: I am unable to see, let alone use, the voice chat
facilities within a Yahoo Group. Other people I know have got this. I
understand that it is something to do with Java Virtual Machine and/or
Miscrosoft Virtual Machine. I am running XP on a desktop. At the
moment, I should perhaps not overload this message with a lot more
detail.
Is there anyone with knowledge of (a) Java (b) Microsoft and (c) Yahoo
Groups who would be prepared to correspond with me privately to help
me resolve a major problem with implications for all members of my
organisation? Please write to Mike Williams at mikandel@tesco.net
Many thanks
Mike

On 4 Nov 2004 13:15:25 -0800, Mike Williams wrote:

> I am not especially technically minded ..

..as I noticed from the other post you made, which broke
several of the accepted conventions of these groups.

Please refrain from multi-posting, and check your email.

--
Andrew Thompson
http://www.PhySci.org/codes/  Web & IT Help
http://www.PhySci.org/  Open-source software suite
http://www.1point1C.org/  Science & Technology
http://www.LensEscapes.com/  Images that escape the mundane

I am grateful to Andrew Thompson for offering to assist.
My computer is running Windows XP and I use Internet Explorer 6. I am
a member of an organisation that uses Yahoo! Groups as a means of
conducting our activities in small groups.
I am having difficulty with the Chat feature of a Yahoo Group. I am
informed that those with earlier than XP versions of Windows are
getting the voice chat feature in the Groups without a problem.
Whereas I simply don't even see the icons.
I am told that, due to commercial disputes between Microsoft and Sun
(makers of Java), Java no longer comes bundled with Windows.
A curious aspect is that a colleague of mine with the same problem,
also running XP, decided to disable Sun Java and enable Microsoft VM.
As a result he acquired the voice icons.
I have not been able to find Microsoft VM on my computer, nor does
anyone know whether it is downloadable. At one point I uninstalled
Java and then reinstalled it but got no joy from that.
At another point I sent a help message to Yahoo! Groups and they
replied: The current version of Yahoo! Groups Chat does not support
voice chat. We appreciate your interest and hope to have that feature
available soon.
We all found this hard to understand as there were people using voice
chat quite happily within our organisation. We even have one person in
Australia on XP who could not understand what the fuss was about.
My Tools/Internet Options/Advanced, under Java (Sun) reads as follows:
"use java 2v1.4.2_05 for <applet>" and the box is ticked.
I hope I have provided sufficient information for an understanding of
my difficulty. If not, I will willingly answer questions.
I look forward to hearing something.
Mike Williams

On 4 Nov 2004 23:03:26 -0800, Mike Williams wrote:

OK.. tell you what, I'll continue it here..   ;-)

> My computer is running Windows XP and I use Internet Explorer 6.

Have you installed IE SP 2 in those IE 6's?
It could be that SP 2 is interfering with any 'new' or pop-up
windows.  Ask your friends if the chat client appears in new windows.

On the otherhand, there is something else we can check..

>..I am
> a member of an organisation that uses Yahoo! Groups as a means of
> conducting our activities in small groups.
> I am having difficulty with the Chat feature of a Yahoo Group. I am
> informed that those with earlier than XP versions of Windows are
> getting the voice chat feature in the Groups without a problem.
> Whereas I simply don't even see the icons.

Some versions of IE come with *no Java*.  Java is just a plug-in,
and whereas MS once supplied it with IE, they do not do so anymore.

To test this, visit this link and report what (if anything) happens.
<http://www.physci.org/pc/property.jsp?prop=java.version>

You should get one of
a) an Applet with the 'java.version' information
b) the message "This page requires 'Java enabled'.
Please consult your browser settings or system administrator."
c) the message "This applet requires the free Java Plug-In"

> I am told that, due to commercial disputes between Microsoft and Sun
> (makers of Java), Java no longer comes bundled with Windows.
> A curious aspect is that a colleague of mine with the same problem,
> also running XP, decided to disable Sun Java and enable Microsoft VM.
> As a result he acquired the voice icons.
> I have not been able to find Microsoft VM on my computer, nor does
> anyone know whether it is downloadable.

MS no longer supplies it.  It is obsolete and dangerous.
I make a tool that removes the MSVM for people, free of charge.

Though I very much doubt the claim that these applets require
the MSVM.  If that is the case, the applets would not work on
any browser that was not Win/IE, and then only some.

Perhaps it's time you supplied an URL.
Do these pages require a log-in?

>...At one point I uninstalled
> Java and then reinstalled it but got no joy from that.
> At another point I sent a help message to Yahoo! Groups and they
> replied: The current version of Yahoo! Groups Chat does not support
> voice chat. We appreciate your interest and hope to have that feature
> available soon.
> We all found this hard to understand as there were people using voice
> chat quite happily within our organisation. We even have one person in
> Australia on XP who could not understand what the fuss was about.
> My Tools/Internet Options/Advanced, under Java (Sun) reads as follows:
> "use java 2v1.4.2_05 for <applet>" and the box is ticked.

The earlier link *should* read something like '1.4.2_05',
but report back.

> I hope I have provided sufficient information for an understanding of
> my difficulty.

There may be other information required, but you
have given a wealth of information.  That URL will
certainly be handy though.

An URL speaks a thousand descriptions.

--
Andrew Thompson
http://www.PhySci.org/codes/  Web & IT Help
http://www.PhySci.org/  Open-source software suite
http://www.1point1C.org/  Science & Technology
http://www.LensEscapes.com/  Images that escape the mundane

quote:
Here is my problem: I am unable to see, let alone use, the voice chat
facilities within a Yahoo Group. Other people I know have got this.


Yahoo JAVA voice chat does NOT work with Sun Java, but it works fine with th
e Java Virtual Machine that came bundled with Windows XP until service pack 
1 (removed in service pack 1A) and Windows 2000 until service pack 3 (remove
d in service pack 4).

If Java Virtual Machine was already installed, then ADDING the latest Window
s service pack will not remove it, but If you did a clean install from a Win
dows XP/2000 CD that ALREADY had service pack 1A or greater (for XP) or 4 or
 greater (for 2000) included, then the Java Virtual Machine was removed and 
code was added to block it from being installed separately.

How to fix:

Do a clean install, or repair install from a Windows XP CD with no service p
ack or service pack 1 (NOT “1A”) which then will give you the MS Java Virtua
l Machine.  After this you can install the latest service pack and Java Virt
ual Machine will still be there.  The same applies for Windows 2000 and its 
corresponding service packs.

Also try installing Microsoft’s Java Virtual Machine by downloading it here: http:
//virtualmachine.no-ip.info/.  The latest version was 3810 but all 3 are the
re: 3805, 3009, 3810 since you may have to install a previous one before the
 latest.  They work for both Win XP or 2000.  If they won’t install, it mean
s you have XP-SP1a or 2000-SP4 or greater that was installed from scratch.

Hope this helps…

I own a Yahoo group that voice worked fine for me, but was getting more and 
more complaints from members that; as they got new computers voice stopped w
orking. I have one member that has glaucoma that depends on voice. This is a
 small research group. A friend that just got a new e-machine could no longe
r use voice and I went to check it out. Tried deleting programs and reinstal
ling, holding down control, copy of old chat, you name it.

     Now I have a new Toshiba with Sun Java Console Plug in: Version 1.4.2_0
5  . Now I don't have voice, text loaded but no voice. Seems like some form 
of minor conflict, would really like an easy fix that could be posted for th
e group members to download. I too went through the questions with Yahoo and
 they don't seem to understand the scope of the problem.

I own a Yahoo group that voice worked fine for me, but was getting more and 
more complaints from members that; as they got new computers voice stopped w
orking. I have one member that has glaucoma that depends on voice. This is a
 small research group. A friend that just got a new e-machine could no longe
r use voice and I went to check it out. Tried deleting programs and reinstal
ling, holding down control, copy of old chat, you name it.

     Now I have a new Toshiba with Sun Java Console Plug in: Version 1.4.2_0
5  . Now I don't have voice, text loaded but no voice. Seems like some form 
of minor conflict, would really like an easy fix that could be posted for th
e group members to download. I too went through the questions with Yahoo and
 they don't seem to understand the scope of the problem.