> soln 1 : redirect the output to a file
>
> java your_error_prone_program > out.txt

I think error  messages don't go to file like that.

Ages ago I have used some method of redirecting errors  to a
different file. It was some prefix of ">". 1> e> &2> or
something I have forgotten.

Is there any such method?

> soln 2 : install cygwin so you can do a pipe
>
> java your_error_prone_program | more

what is cygwin? where?
ok. shall search.

> soln 4 : use eclipse
>

that is too huge a download.

> soln 5 : catch runtime  exceptions ;)

only if I know where they are occurring.