1. IE6 pre-release does not download/upgrade Java unless you custom install it.
2. IE6 will however utilize whatever jvm (java virtual machine) you already have installed on your machine.
3. If you don't custom install IE6, your only choice to get a new java version is that you 'may' be able to do it when you upgrade your OS.
4. Keep in mind that these 'upgrades' of the jvm are all extremely old (java 1.1), which is incidently what the whole lawsuit with Sun was about.
5. WindowsXP will come with IE6, but may or may not come with a JVM. Does anyone know? I suggest that anyone concerned about this go to the windows XP newsgroups and complain bitterly!
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/newsgroups/default.asp 6. If WindowsXP doesn't come with a JVM, it doesn't appear likely that any of the OEM vendors (e.g. Dell, Compaq, etc) will bundle one in with the OS (even though it's free from Sun and will save their customers download time -- assuming they can figure out how to do it) as they are afraid of crossing Microsoft. Feel free to complain to them too.