Java3D support on OS 10.2

It's been said that no one should be forced to buy a new version of OS X, but it seems that OS 10.2 doesn't support Java3D, which I need to run an application. Is there a way to get this Java update installed on OS 10.2? The Apple installer insists that I must upgrade to OS 10.3, which costs $129 plus the downtime for the installation and testing. I had to go to Linux to run the application, and this isn't the first Mac application to "need" the latest version of OS X. This looks like the Microsoft plan of forced upgrades every few years if users want to continue running the latest applications. As it is with Linux, I should be able to keep updating OS X for free by installing only the updates that I need. Have I simply downloaded the wrong Java installer, or is Apple really trying to force me to buy and install the latest OS X release?