Index: trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/data/Preferences.java
===================================================================
--- trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/data/Preferences.java	(revision 3505)
+++ trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/data/Preferences.java	(revision 3507)
@@ -382,4 +382,6 @@
 
         updateSystemProperties();
+        if(Main.applet)
+            return;
         File prefFile = new File(getPreferencesDirFile(), "preferences");
 
@@ -434,22 +436,26 @@
     public void load() throws IOException {
         properties.clear();
-        final BufferedReader in = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(
-                new FileInputStream(getPreferencesDir()+"preferences"), "utf-8"));
-        int lineNumber = 0;
-        ArrayList<Integer> errLines = new ArrayList<Integer>();
-        for (String line = in.readLine(); line != null; line = in.readLine(), lineNumber++) {
-            final int i = line.indexOf('=');
-            if (i == -1 || i == 0) {
-                errLines.add(lineNumber);
-                continue;
-            }
-            properties.put(line.substring(0,i), line.substring(i+1));
-        }
-        if (!errLines.isEmpty())
-            throw new IOException(tr("Malformed config file at lines {0}", errLines));
+        if(!Main.applet) {
+            final BufferedReader in = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(
+                    new FileInputStream(getPreferencesDir()+"preferences"), "utf-8"));
+            int lineNumber = 0;
+            ArrayList<Integer> errLines = new ArrayList<Integer>();
+            for (String line = in.readLine(); line != null; line = in.readLine(), lineNumber++) {
+                final int i = line.indexOf('=');
+                if (i == -1 || i == 0) {
+                    errLines.add(lineNumber);
+                    continue;
+                }
+                properties.put(line.substring(0,i), line.substring(i+1));
+            }
+            if (!errLines.isEmpty())
+                throw new IOException(tr("Malformed config file at lines {0}", errLines));
+        }
         updateSystemProperties();
     }
 
     public void init(boolean reset){
+        if(Main.applet)
+            return;
         // get the preferences.
         File prefDir = getPreferencesDirFile();
@@ -525,4 +531,5 @@
     }
 
+    /* TODO: Bookmarks should be stored in preferences */
     public File getBookmarksFile() {
         return new File(getPreferencesDir(),"bookmarks");
Index: trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/preferences/PreferenceTabbedPane.java
===================================================================
--- trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/preferences/PreferenceTabbedPane.java	(revision 3505)
+++ trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/preferences/PreferenceTabbedPane.java	(revision 3507)
@@ -133,5 +133,6 @@
 
     public void savePreferences() {
-
+        if(Main.applet)
+            return;
         // create a task for downloading plugins if the user has activated, yet not downloaded,
         // new plugins