Apple on Thursday released Java Update for Mac OS X v10.3.9. The update addresses an issue Apple described in a tech note published to its Support Web site earlier this week. It is available for download through the Software Update system preference pane and has been posted to Apple’s Web site.
“After updating to Mac OS X 10.3.9, some systems may have issues with Java applications and Java-enabled websites when using Safari. Safari may unexpectedly quit, and standalone Java applications may unexpectedly quit or not launch. This update resolves that issue,” said Apple.
You can verify if your Mac has the problem by going to the Utilities folder inside your Applications folder, opening the Terminal application, and typing “java -version” (without the quotes), then pressing Return.
If you receive a “Segmentation fault” message, your Mac needs this fix.
Apple also described an optional optimization procedure: Restoring the Java Shared Archive. “This optimization would only be noticeable when Java is under heavy load, such as running a large number of Java applications simultaneously.” The details are provided at Apple’s Web site.