take a simple example written in IDE6.9
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
import java.awt.*;
import java.applet.*;
/*<applet code="Appletfact" width=200 height=200>
<param name=op1 value=6>
</applet>*/
public class Appletfact extends Applet
{
String str;

public void start(){
str=getParameter("op1");  // this value returns null in IDE
System.out.println(str);
}
public void paint(Graphics g){
g.drawString(str,10,20);
    }
}
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
getParameter is not supported in this IDE6.9 it always returns null value.
please look into this issue.