VolcanoCam FAQs

About The VolcanoCam Web Site

• Why did you switch to a different design? The previous design was working very well for me.
• I see you are using JavaScript on the web site now. I heard JavaScript was dangerous to use.
• I'm having problems viewing the VolcanoCam image now that you are using a Java applet. Can you help?

Why did you switch to a different design? The previous design was working very well for me.

The current design for the VolcanoCam web site is the required look and feel for all Forest Service public web sites. We are just bringing the web site up to the required standard. While the older design was working quite well for many people, it did have some inherent problems than could not be fixed, not to mention it was not the required design.

I see you are using JavaScript on the web site now. I heard JavaScript was dangerous to use.

The real "problem" with JavaScript as seen by some web developers is that is creates what is called a user dependency. That means if JavaScript is turned off by a user the web site may not work properly or as intended by the web developer. There is nothing wrong with using JavaScript on a web site. In our case, it allows us to use some "Web 2.0" features we would not ordinarily be able to use. At the same time, if JavaScript is turned off on your web browser the remaining code will degrade gracefully and not cause problems. For example, if you are using Firefox to view this web site, and you have the Web Developer toolbar addon installed, go ahead and disable JavaScript right now. While the left navigation will not function as intended, you will still be able to navigate around the site. So the VolcanoCam site still remains accessible. Ok, you can re-enable JavaScript.

I'm having problems viewing the VolcanoCam image now that you are using a Java applet. Can you help?

We went with a Java applet to reduce strain on the web server. However, that introduced problems for some VolcanoCam viewers, especially those using WebTV and non-standard web browsers. So we also have available a non-Java web page for those folks. We plan to add a no frills, generic web page view as well for web users with smaller computer monitors.

Check out the Problems Matrix berlow for more information:

Problems Matrix

Some VolcanoCam viewers are reporting problems with viewing the images from the VolcanoCam Classic and VolcanoCamHD camera with Java. Below is a simple table of the identified issues and possible answers. This table was updated on August 04, 2007.

Identified User	Identified Problem / Solution
Anyone	Problem: Some VolcanoCam viewers are reporting they are unable to see the volcano images from either the VolcanoCam Classic or the VolcanoCamHD cameras. Things To Try: Make sure you are using the most current version of Java available. You can obtain the latest release from the Java web site. Use the non-Java version web page for viewing Mount St. Helens. Switch to a standards-compliant web browser such as Firefox or Opera.
AOL Web Browser	Problem: Some AOL web browser users are experiencing difficulty viewing the VolcanoCam home page Java version of the VolcanoCam image. In several tests AOL web browser users report no problems when they use Internet Explorer and/or Firefox. Things To Try: The AOL web browser is a modified version of Internet Explorer. Try using Internet Explorer instead. Make sure you are using the most current version of Java available. You can obtain the latest release from the Java web site. Use the non-Java version web page for viewing Mount St. Helens. Switch to a standards-compliant web browser such as Firefox or Opera.
Mac Users	Problem: Initial reports from some Mac users reported difficulty viewing the VolcanoCam home page Java version of the VolcanoCam image. Things To Try: Mac users report no problem with either Firefox or Safari when using the current version along with current version of Mac O/S.
Windows Vista / IE 7x Users	Problem: Some Vista users are reporting a "security" error with IE 7x while attempting to view the VolcanoCam home page Java version of the VolcanoCam image. Things To Try: Adjust the system/browser security settings to allow for use of a Java applet. Make sure you are using the most current version of Java available. You can obtain the latest release from the Java web site. Switch to a standards-compliant web browser such as Firefox or Opera.
WebTV Users	Problem: WebTV viewers are unable to view the VolcanoCam home page Java version of the VolcanoCam image. Things To Try: Use the non-Java version web page for viewing Mount St. Helens. There is no known technical workaround for WebTV users with the Java applet.