Your Mac secretly did not replace your usual Java with the newer, bolder, more-robust version 5.
Can we ever. But first, a minor Java-induced tirade: It's 2007 for goodness' sake, and not only has Java still not taken over the world, but it remains the software equivalent of cowboy coffee - especially on (and in comparison to) the Mac OS. That said, Java sure is fun for wasting time at sites like Pogo (we rule Chicken Invaders 2).
The problem is that when your Mac updated itself, it installed the newer version of Java (J2SE 5.0r3) alongside the older version (J2SE 1.4.2), but the older version remains the default until you say otherwise. If you don't see a folder called J2SE 5.0 in /Applications/Utilities/Java/, download and run the installer (free). To complete the upgrade, quit Safari and any other Web browsers that you have running and open the Java Preferences app (/Utilities/Java/J2SE 5.0/). In the General section, click the radio button labeled J2SE 5.0 and drag J2SE 5.0 to the top of the list in the lower box (Java Application Runtime Settings). Now click Save and quit Java Preferences. Then launch a Web browser and knock yourself out!
