public static void openURL(String url) {
      String osName = System.getProperty("os.name");
      try {
         if (osName.startsWith("Mac")) {
            Class fileMgr = Class.forName("com.apple.eio.FileManager");
            Method openURL = fileMgr.getDeclaredMethod("openURL",
               new Class[] {String.class});
            openURL.invoke(null, new Object[] {url});
            }
         else if (osName.startsWith("Windows"))
            Runtime.getRuntime().exec("rundll32 url.dll,FileProtocolHandler " + url);
         else { //assume Unix or Linux
            String[] browsers = {
               "firefox", "opera", "konqueror", "epiphany", "mozilla", "netscape" };
            String browser = null;
            for (int count = 0; count < browsers.length && browser == null; count++)
               if (Runtime.getRuntime().exec(
                     new String[] {"which", browsers[count]}).waitFor() == 0)
                  browser = browsers[count];
            if (browser == null)
               throw new Exception("Could not find web browser");
            else
               Runtime.getRuntime().exec(new String[] {browser, url});
            }
         }
      catch (Exception e) {
         JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null, errMsg + ":\n" + e.getLocalizedMessage());
         }
      }