Serial stops returning data. java.io.IOException: Device not configured in write

Just had a look at the previous threads on this issue. They seemed to be concerned about issues in the arduino sketch code.

Unless java is running on the arduino ( does it ? ), then the java errors obviously come from code which is executing on the
PC, be it the serial monitor, arduino ide, Processing, something running ON THE PC. This basic fact seems to have eluded
the people with a similar problem 2 years ago.