Sophisticated gallery and menu

Hello!

I have created one web-page much time ago. Now I'd like to create the other and I've got question which Java solutions I should use.

I've got project created with the use of CSS. I'd like to have two basic things, which would make my website much more interesting: 1) menu, 2) gallery. However, I want those two things to be really good.

I've created much time ago menu with the use of some application, which allowed me to choose colour, style and created ready code (I don't remember language in which this code was written or the name of the program). Is it better idea to use this kind of application which creates code (which can you suggest me?) or rather to use ready, free codes (what can you suggest?)?

About gallery - I used some time ago this http://www.huddletogether.com/projects/lightbox2/ and I was really satisfied. This time gallery must be more sophisticated. At the bottom right corner of page I'd like to have about five little pictures, changing to other every several seconds. After clicking one of those mini-pictures, I'd like to have other windows opened. In this other window I'd like to have big version of this one image, and on left and right miniatures of all the photos (not only those five which were actually shown on the main page). Can you suggest me how to do something like this?

Is it good solution to use Java? I guess yes, but I don't know what can be alternative technologies. How can I check at the very beginning, when the web page is loaded to web browser, whether the web browser supports on the exact computer Java technology? Depending on this, I'd like to run either version with Java or without it.

Is it still important to take into account IE6 or rather people don't use it nowadays?

Thanks very much for your help in advance :-)!
Greetings :-)!