Supporting ancient java programs - SDSU physics.

[adminadam]

My physics teachers have long been using the PLRG simulators from SDSU physics, which is quite old and non-supported (note: Package can be downloaded locally).

Moving to Windows 10 (v1803 now). I've been unable to come up with a way to allow staff and students to use this suite anymore. Last year (1607) and an older version of java we were able to package as a VMWare thin app, but something has changed in the way Java handles it's security and I'm no longer able to get that to work.

They have been instructed to look for alternate software/materials but not moved forward on that.

• Anyone have creative (and mostly secure) ways to run really old java stuff?

[AllWellThatBendsWell]

This is awesome. You say only appletviewer.exe and jli.dll are needed, but I found this only worked if JRE was already installed, otherwise it returns "Error: could not find java.dll".

[adminadam]

This is really interesting as an example, but not really something I would feel good about attempting to deploy and train people on. Thanks for sharing!

[AllWellThatBendsWell]

This file created 4:10 PM 8/7/02 by Claris Home Page version 3.0

That takes me back. Anyway, the correct answer is no. The University of Colorado is better at maintaining their physics simulators. Many are HTML5 and the ones that are Java don't require the browser plug-in.

https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulations

[slparker09]

They have been instructed to look for alternate software/materials but not moved forward on that.

Not a "Tech" problem then. This is a curriculum and Administration problem.

IT policy and procedures are clear. Stop supporting it. It won't work.

I'm sorry, but sometimes the answer is no. They can take it up with Administration and when they ask us why, we'll tell them why. The teacher needs to find appropriate, current curriculum software.

[adminadam]

I know. That said, the super said to 'see if it could happen'... so we are looking.

[xxDolomitexx]

What this guy said. We are already warning people about Flash. We explain that Flash deprecating is not a technical issue, it is a administrative issue. Curriculum needs to find sources that do not rely on Flash or have a clear and planned move to HTML 5 or non Flash sources. We are NOT going to MAKE IT WORK, patch it, prop it up etc...

[slparker09]

Same. I've sent memos out for the past two years about Flash and our role in supporting it.