public static void openURL(String url) {
      try {  //attempt to use Desktop library from JDK 1.6+
         Class<?> d = Class.forName("java.awt.Desktop");
         d.getDeclaredMethod("browse", new Class[] {java.net.URI.class}).invoke(
            d.getDeclaredMethod("getDesktop").invoke(null),
            new Object[] {java.net.URI.create(url)});
         //above code mimicks:  java.awt.Desktop.getDesktop().browse()
         }
      catch (Exception ignore) {  //library not available or failed
         String osName = System.getProperty("os.name");
         try {
            if (osName.startsWith("Mac OS")) {
               Class.forName("com.apple.eio.FileManager").getDeclaredMethod(
                  "openURL", new Class[] {String.class}).invoke(null,
                  new Object[] {url});
               }
            else if (osName.startsWith("Windows"))
               Runtime.getRuntime().exec(
                  "rundll32 url.dll,FileProtocolHandler " + url);
            else { //assume Unix or Linux
               String browser = null;
               for (String b : browsers)
                  if (browser == null && Runtime.getRuntime().exec(new String[]
                        {"which", b}).getInputStream().read() != -1)
                     Runtime.getRuntime().exec(new String[] {browser = b, url});
               if (browser == null)
                  throw new Exception(Arrays.toString(browsers));
               }
            }
         catch (Exception e) {
            JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null, errMsg + "\n" + e.toString());
            }
         }
      }