Dont be afraid of java I LOVE IT it is the most used tool in the world.
yes java is one way are hacker might get in to your computer but with good firewalls you wont have to worry about it to much.
I used firefox i love it i came form maxthon to firefox cus of the builded in java.
tusth me when i say this JAVA is the way of the world.
If you remember hot mail when it came out everyone under the sun used it cus of the power you had to make new web site's then someone found out if i just type /hotmail.bo.au.net wow i got in to the web site and the preson's computer as well but even thou someone found out there was are hole people for years used it to make web site's.It is the same with JAVA the power you have with it is so great that you should not just dismiss it cus of someone finding are hole.