art, I have the same type of problem using my usual ISP, freeserve. I can get in using my alternative, freeuk. As the site was only announced yesterday, I would guess that the domain name is still filtering through the DNS system. I believe this process can take up to 48 hours to take effect.

I have tried accessing the site by IP address but that turns out to be a shared address so I can't find a "back door". You will just have to be patient and with luck you will get in soon.

Clinton, it is slow here too. One place I would use a Java app is for a chat application. They may not have the same compatibility as the type of system the Mudchat uses but I'd sooner a decent Java app, possibly using IRC any day. Mostly, I prefer to avoid it - it can (as in this case) look good but personaly, I don't think it worth making people with slower connections wait for or running the risk of "excluding" some users for.