/**
  * set the look and feel for a Swing App.
  * Use Nimbus if available, failing that cross platform metal, failing that the default.
  */
public static void setLaf()
   {
   boolean success = false;
   try
      {
      // Avoid new com.sun.java.swing.plaf.nimbus.NimbusLookAndFeel() to avoid the dreaded
      // NoClassDefFoundError
      UIManager.setLookAndFeel( "com.sun.java.swing.plaf.nimbus.NimbusLookAndFeel" );
      success = true;
      }
   catch ( UnsupportedLookAndFeelException e )
      {
      }
   catch ( IllegalAccessException e )
      {
      }
   catch ( InstantiationException e )
      {
      }
   catch ( ClassNotFoundException e )
      {
      }

   if ( !success )
      {
      try
         {
         UIManager.setLookAndFeel( UIManager.getCrossPlatformLookAndFeelClassName() );
         }
      catch ( UnsupportedLookAndFeelException e )
         {
         }
      catch ( IllegalAccessException e )
         {
         }
      catch ( InstantiationException e )
         {
         }
      catch ( ClassNotFoundException e )
         {
         }

      }
   // another possibility: UIManager.getSystemLookAndFeelClassName()
   }