FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.5.0"
Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.5.0-b64)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.5.0-b64, mixed mode)


ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
My applet startup time on 1.4.2 was 40 seconds. When I moved to JRE 5.0, the applet starts up on 4 minutes.

This seems most noticable on single processor machines and/or machines that are not hyperthreaded (Intel).

My processor:
Processor x86 Family 15 Model 2 Stepping 7 GenuineIntel ~2192 Mhz

I created a thread in the following forum and it seems to be a problem for a number of people.

http://forum.java.sun.com/thread.jspa?threadID=566480


STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
1. Our applet is a large (Enterprise) applet used by I/T shops, it has about 4 MB of jar files.

2. The applet is loaded on a single proc (non hyperthreaded) box (like a laptop.

3. Try to load the applet and it loads very slowly. Minimize the applet window once the starburst animation / progress bar comes up and it goes fast.

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
Load times should be as good or better than 1.4.2. In our case, about 40 seconds.
ACTUAL -
Load time with JRE is now 4 minutes.

REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
Define a custom logo with the image Parameter. Then instead of the animated gif, the defined image is shown or if it doesn't even exist it is left blank . For example for OBJECT Tag
<PARAM name="image" value="images/speedupjava.gif">
For Embed Tag:
image="images/speedupjava.gif"

The custom logo, or no logo helps. But a problem with this workaround (as documented in sun doc) is that the logo is placed in the upper left corner of the applet window. It will center it, if the gif is the same size as the applet window, but who knows what that will ever be?

Release Regression From : 1.4.2
The above release value was the last known release where this
bug was known to work. Since then there has been a regression.
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