Poseidon for UML: User Guide
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# Chapter 3. Installation and First Start

# Prerequisites

Poseidon for UML is written entirely in Java and therefore is platform independent. It runs on almost any modern personal computer. To successfully start and run Poseidon for UML you need the following:

- Java 5 is strongly recommended for Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows platforms when running Poseidon for UML. While it is possible to use Java Runtime Environment or Java Development Kit. JDK 1.4 or higher, errors may result. Poseidon for UML will not run with JDK 1.3 or older.

- A computer with reasonable memory and CPU power. For memory, 512 MB is recommended, more is helpful. For CPU, a Pentium III or equivalent is the recommended minimum.

- A specific operating system is not required. Poseidon for UML is known to run on Windows 98, 2000, NT, and XP, on Linux SuSe 6.X, 7.X, Red Hat, and MacOS X. It has been predominantly developed and tested on Linux. However, on Windows platforms performance is known to be superior due to a faster Java environment.

## Additional Requirements for MacOS X Users

Certain combinations of Java and MacOS X have been known to cause problems. These are sometimes resolved by changing the Look And Feel used by Poseidon. For information on how to change the Look and Feel, refer to the Appearance section of the Settings chapter.

### Jaguar (MacOS X 10.2.x)

There are two versions of Java 1.4.1, Original and Update 1. When using Original, Drag and Drop from the Navigation Tree into a diagram will not work. Update 1 includes a set of improvements and should be used whenever possible. In both cases, the Alloy Look and Feel should be used, as Aqua is known to have additional problems such as difficulty in opening dialogs.

### Panther (10.3.x)

This version of MacOS X comes with Java 1.4.1 Update 2, which is an improvement over Update 1, yet there are still some issues with Drag and Drop and the Aqua Look and Feel. Be sure to use the Alloy Look and Feel with this version of Java.

Java 1.4.2 (which is equivalent to Sun JDK 1.4.2_03) has recently become available. This release appears to have addressed the speed and Look and Feel problems.

### Tiger (10.4.x)

Tiger includes Java 2, Standard Edition, version 1.4.2, including the Java Developer Kit (JDK) and the HotSpot virtual machine (VM).

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Edition Comparison |  | Moving from a Previous Poseidon Installation to Version 4.0