Platform Checker

Platforms Affected

You can check the basic platform of all the browsers that are available.

Microsoft's VM throws a security exception when you try to look up the browser.vendor. Weird.

In addition, Microsoft's VM on Mac reports the Browser version is 1.1 when the version is Internet Explorer 4.0.

Java Activator/Plug-In From JavaSoft is also bizarre. Look at the plug-in equivalent of this page for an example. Security Exceptions get thrown for most of the properties as shown in the details section.

Details On The Platforms Available

The following is a table of system variables and what they are for the various browsers and OSes:

Netscape 3.0/Windows 
Key: os.name = Windows NT
Key: browser = Netscape Navigator
Key: browser.vendor = Netscape Communications Corporation
Key: browser.version = 3.0
Key: java.vendor = Netscape Communications Corporation
Key: java.version = 1.02
Netscape 4.0/Windows 
Key: os.name = Windows NT
Key: browser = Netscape Communicator
Key: browser.vendor = Netscape Communications Corporation
Key: browser.version = 4.0
Key: java.vendor = Netscape Communications Corporation
Key: java.version = 1.1.2
Netscape 3.0/Mac 
Key: os.name = Mac OS
Key: browser = Netscape Navigator
Key: browser.vendor = Netscape Communications Corporation
Key: browser.version = 3.0
Key: java.vendor = Netscape Communications Corporation
Key: java.version = 1.02
Netscape 4.0/Mac 
Key: os.name = Mac OS
Key: browser = Netscape Communicator
Key: browser.vendor = Netscape Communications Corporation
Key: browser.version = 4.0
Key: java.vendor = Netscape Communications Corporation
Key: java.version = 1.1.2
Netscape 3.0/Solaris 
Key: os.name = SunOS
Key: browser = Netscape Navigator
Key: browser.vendor = Netscape Communications Corporation
Key: browser.version = 3.0
Key: java.vendor = Netscape Communications Corporation
Key: java.version = 1.02
Netscape 4.0/Solaris 
Key: os.name = SunOS
Key: browser = Netscape Communicator
Key: browser.vendor = Netscape Communications Corporation
Key: browser.version = 4.0
Key: java.vendor = Netscape Communications Corporation
Key: java.version = 1.1.2
Netscape 4.0/LINUX 
Key: os.name = LINUX
Key: browser = Netscape Communicator
Key: browser.vendor = Netscape Communications Corporation
Key: browser.version = 4.0
Key: java.vendor = Netscape Communications Corporation
Key: java.version = 1.1.2
Internet Explorer 3.0/Windows 
Key: os.name = Windows 95
Key: browser = ActiveX Scripting Host
Key: browser.vendor = Security Exception Raised
Key: browser.version = Security Exception Raised
Key: java.vendor = Microsoft Corp.
Key: java.version = 1.0.2
Internet Explorer 4.0/Windows 
Key: os.name = Windows NT
Key: browser = ActiveX Scripting Host
Key: browser.vendor = Security Exception Raised
Key: browser.version = Security Exception Raised
Key: java.vendor = Microsoft Corp.
Key: java.version = 1.1
Internet Explorer 4.0/Mac 
Key: os.name = Mac OS
Key: browser = com.ms.jam.JAMAppletViewer
Key: browser.vendor = Microsoft Corp.
Key: browser.version = 1.1
Key: java.vendor = Microsoft Corp.
Key: java.version = 1.1.4
Internet Explorer 4.0/Solaris 
Key: os.name = Solaris
Key: browser = ActiveX Scripting Host
Key: browser.vendor = Security Exception Raised
Key: browser.version = Security Exception Raised
Key: java.vendor = Microsoft Corp.
Key: java.version = 1.1
NS 4.0/Java Plug-In/W32 
Key: os.name = Windows NT
Key: browser = Security Exception Raised
Key: browser.vendor = Security Exception Raised
Key: browser.version = Security Exception Raised
Key: java.vendor = Sun Microsystems Inc.
Key: java.version = 1.1.6
IE 4.0/Mac/MRJ Plug-In/W32 
Key: os.name = Mac OS
Key: browser = JMAppletViewer
Key: browser.vendor = Security Exception Raised
Key: browser.version = Security Exception Raised
Key: java.vendor = Apple Computer, Inc.
Key: java.version = 1.1

The applet below shows the basic variables that are necessary if you want to check the OS/Browser combination that you are using. The left column is the System property being checked and the right column is the value.

References

Java Tip 53 from JavaWorld: So what browser is this, anyway?

Applet Demonstrating What Your Platform Is

View The Source To PlatformCheck.java

Gunther Birznieks <gunther@clark.net>