what is needed at end user to execute java application

hello there
I need your help , I want to ask that applets can be executed at end users in their browser but I have developed Java application , Users will download it but what should be installed at end user in order for java application to run,I know applets use browser's java plugin to run but what about application,because in order to execute java application at you have to type "java applicationname" at dos prompt or you have to run bat file that you make,therefore java.exe and other things also should be on end user's machine,so jim or others it would be very nice of you if you can tell me ,once end users download java application what should be installed on their machine to run java application or what should I supply them with java application to run this application.looking for your reply.
thank you

You need all the files under your Program Files/javasoft/jre and make certain registry changes if your client is using windows only.
Using excutable .jar file is better then .exe file, since it is platform independent.
However, if you want it to be platform independent (MAC, Solaris, Linux, etc), it will be a lot more complicated, since jre is platform dependent.
Heavy testing is always required.
Roseanne

hello
thanks Roseanne but is there any other way? because javasoft/jre
(java runtime plugin) every user does not have and it is very very big file(about 22 MB) to include with my software ,user would not like to even download.It means when you develop java application for users to download they have to download this big file as well,Is there any other way??? please help me with this because I really want to use Java application at end user.if there is any other way please tell me.
thank you.

The Java Runtime Environment should be about 5 MB zipped - you can get the latest Windows version here. If that's too big, I don't know what else you can do. I suppose you could wait for the Micro Edition to come out if your application will be simple enough, but that's no tmuch use right now. Good luck...

Actually, there is one, and it is from the Sun!
A new alpha/Beta(?) version(0.4) "Web Start" will do the job and auto-update your application for your client. You can use it to configure the security too. It uses Java Network Lauching Protocall(jnlp). Very interesting and cool stuff!
Go to the Sun, to search "Web Start" and play with it. It is free!
Have a good time!
Roseanne
P.S. Web Start will install and update jre for your client. You have to have jre to run your app.
[This message has been edited by roseannezhang (edited August 16, 2000).]

thank you very much for your guidance.

Originally posted by roseannezhang:
You need all the files under your Program Files/javasoft/jre and make certain registry changes if your client is using windows only.
Using excutable .jar file is better then .exe file, since it is platform independent.
However, if you want it to be platform independent (MAC, Solaris, Linux, etc), it will be a lot more complicated, since jre is platform dependent.
Heavy testing is always required.
Roseanne

I have a similar problem. We have a java application that needs to be started from the browser button click. I can get this to work fine on the NT, but how do you get this to work on the Mac? Any help appreciated.
Savithri