# File lib/stella/utils.rb, line 307
    def service_available?(host, port, wait=3)
      if Stella.sysinfo.vm == :java
        begin
          iadd = Java::InetSocketAddress.new host, port      
          socket = Java::Socket.new
          socket.connect iadd, wait * 1000  # milliseconds
          success = !socket.isClosed && socket.isConnected
        rescue NativeException => ex
          puts ex.message, ex.backtrace if Stella.debug?
          false
        end
      else 
        begin
          status = Timeout::timeout(wait) do
            socket = Socket.new( AF_INET, SOCK_STREAM, 0 )
            sockaddr = Socket.pack_sockaddr_in( port, host )
            socket.connect( sockaddr )
          end
          true
        rescue Errno::EAFNOSUPPORT, Errno::ECONNREFUSED, SocketError, Timeout::Error => ex
          puts ex.class, ex.message, ex.backtrace if Stella.debug?
          false
        end
      end
    end