I get disconnected, I quit the application using the launcher and then try to relaunch the launcher and I never get past the java loading screen. I check my task manager and it says the java app is running, but no matter how long I wait it never works, so I try again- same issue.

Also bad, is it sometimes happens when I am losing badly and being unable to log back in makes me look like a sore loser (I suppose I can be at times, but at least I always say good game and politely leave before my attitude can show).

I've noticed that if I try to log in when I'm not connected to the internet, it crashes and won't let me start up again. Are you using Windows? If so, try going to the java control center (or whatever it is called) in the control panel, and deleting the cached files, then re-downloading the cgoban client again.

Judicata's point is a good one. The launcher system used by KGS (java web start) has a serious bug, if you have on of those internet connections that first redirects you to a login-style web page, then lets you on the internet after that, then you *MUST NOT* run KGS before logging in. Otherwise stupid java web start starts up, tries to fetch the latest KGS config file, gets the login-type page, and decides that this must be the new KGS config file. From here on out it is hopelessly broken and never recovers.

An Judicata, you must fix this by hand by opening up the java web start control panel and removing the KGS client. This will get rid of the broken config file, then you can start all over again.

My connection usually starts from the moment that windows first loads and it is the KGS launcher that never shows up- it is the java loading screen that shows up and then when it finishes, it goes away, and from that point nothing.

Ah ha! This explains why it only happens on my work network, which requires a log-in page. Don-it sounds like you're encountering a different problem, but you might want to try the same steps. Have you tried killing java in the task manager (ctrl+alt+delete if you're in Windows), and then trying to start again? Do you have to reboot before the client will work, or is it just always broken?

I kill it in task manager and try it again- won't work. I kill every java process and try again- still won't work. I reboot the pc and it'll work until I have to end the application- usually because of a disconnection or a crash of some type and I deal with it all over again.

Go to control panel->Java->General->Temporary Internet Files->View, right click on KGS and delete.

Just happened to me today. So irritating. ^_^

But fortunately I vaguely remembered some thread like this.

I don't like Java Web Start at all. Both Cgoban3 and GoPanda (from IGS) use Java Web Start. Why can't the KGS client be distributed as a jar-in-a-zip-file or installer file or something?

Because jar can't update itself and people could have trouble with running jar files probably.
You can download it directly from http://files.gokgs.com/javaBin/cgoban.jar.