When you close a browser window that contains an applet, Netscape 4.51-4.7 (probably 4.06 and later) may freeze in MSWindows.
  1. Click here to open the window.
  2. Close the window.
  3. Try again if you can (if Netscape did not freeze).
 The browser usually freezes at the second try, but don't give up until the 20th.

Fortunately, there is a workaround: the applet must be put to sleep in the destroy() method.

Click here to show the fixed version

CloseFreeze.java
CloseFreezeSleepFix.java

Previously, I had another workaround: I removed all the components of the applet recursively in destroy() (see CloseFreezeFix.java and the test page). Dan Kok pointed out that what Netscape needs is probably just wasting some time. Putting the applet to sleep is a more direct way to waste time than recursively removing its components.

February 22 2000