Java is essential for loading financial charts, and other stuff. Yet, many Thai Internet shops, even those running xp, have Java disabled as a default setting. Staff can't help; it was how the techie originally set it up. Maybe to prevent customers loading their own programs onto the shop's machines, and possibly upsetting things.

Is there any way around this? I have tried downloading Java from their site but it won't install. PC just doesn't want to know Java! Help, please.

I take it you need Java in a browser, ie Firefox?

I was going to suggest Portable Firefox which you can download from PortableApps.com - Firefox on a USB drive. However, comments on the site suggest that Java is not portable yet, or at least they have not found out how to make it portable. I happen to know that making it portable should be very easy, alas I don't know how to hack firefox.

So what you can do is go to http://www.java.com/en/download/index.jsp, download the Java installer, put it on a USB stick and install in any internet cafe. Does not require a restart of the machine so it should work.

Next time you come by they probably reset it back to factory.

Trading in internet cafes is somewhat risky because you never know what kind of malware might run on those machines, keyloggers, trojans, viruses..

I take it you need Java in a browser, ie Firefox?

I was going to suggest Portable Firefox which you can download from PortableApps.com - Firefox on a USB drive. However, comments on the site suggest that Java is not portable yet, or at least they have not found out how to make it portable. I happen to know that making it portable should be very easy, alas I don't know how to hack firefox.

So what you can do is go to http://www.java.com/en/download/index.jsp, download the Java installer, put it on a USB stick and install in any internet cafe. Does not require a restart of the machine so it should work.

Next time you come by they probably reset it back to factory.

Trading in internet cafes is somewhat risky because you never know what kind of malware might run on those machines, keyloggers, trojans, viruses..

Thanks, but I don't see how reading Java from a USB stick has any advantage over downloading it or installing from a CD. The computer just won't install Java from the latter two sources. Internet Explorer is the inevitable browser of choice in cafés; could Firefox overcome the problem even if the machine has been set so as not to allow installation of new programs like Java?

scandisk cruzer ....

running portable firefox on the u3 launchpad it loads all java applications.

the cruzer is in essence its own standalone browser I:E you dont use the actual computer's browser but do all your surfing/emailing from the cruzer stick.

just make sure you keep the anitvirus on the stick up to date