If you prefer to use Ergo in your web browser then there is no need to install it locally.  These instructions describe how to install Ergo on your local machine to be run as a Java application.

Ergo (and all Java apps) require that you have the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) or the Java Development Kit (JDK) installed on your system.  I recommend the JRE since it is the minimal set of tools you need to run Java applications, and it's easy to install.  These instructions assume you are using the JRE.

Note: Ergo works with Java 1.1 and Java 2.  However, if you have no specific need for Java 2, I recommend using the Java 1.1 JRE because it uses significantly less memory than the Java 2 JRE, and there are still a few cosmetic problems with Ergo under Java 2.

Unix Instructions

Hey, if you're using Unix you must be a hacker, so follow the Windows directions but make your own script to startup Ergo by modifying the ergo.bat file and putting it in your path.  Basically just do "jre -cp . ergo.Ergo" in the main Ergo directory.

OS/2 Instructions

Follow the Windows instructions.  Send me mail if you have problems and I'll try to help.  I do not have access to an OS/2 machine.

Windows Instructions

1. Make sure the Java runtime is installed on your machine.  If you're not sure, then you can try typing "jre -version" or "java -version" at the command line but this is not a conclusive test.  Best is to ask someone who knows.  To install the Java runtime click on one of the links near the top of this page.
2. Download Ergo.
3. If you have a previous version of Ergo installed already, you may need to delete or rename the old directory. I recommend that you rename it, since you may want to keep your old Ergo.ini preferences file, and then delete the old version when you're sure the new one is working for you.
4. Unpack the file you downloaded. This will create a directory containing several files and subdirectories. The Ergo directory should look something like this:

99-03-08  02:11p                18,347 gpl
99-03-08  02:11p                   765 copyright.txt
99-06-17  07:46a        <DIR>          ergo
99-06-17  07:46a        <DIR>          nom
99-06-17  07:46a        <DIR>          mm
99-06-19  04:22a                   167 Ergo.bat
99-06-19  04:23a                 3,655 Ergo.ini

5. If you have Java 1.1, just double click on the Ergo.bat file to start ergo.  If you have Java 2, edit the Ergo.bat file and follow the instructions in the comments.
6. Optionally add Ergo to the Start menu.  Drag the file called Ergo.bat onto the Start button in the Windows task bar.