hi,
Vector is synchronized while ArrayList is initially not. If they would accept an ArrayList as argument they would have to make sure that it's synchronized. Not, that this is a big problem.
I think they just didn't change the implementation of DefaultTableModel which uses Vector though they are propagating the use of ArrayList to everyone else.
Anyway, as Vector is a subtype of collection it's not that difficult to use ArrayLists and initialize a JTable using a vector, nonetheless:
ArrayList data = new ArrayList();
JTable table = new JTable(new Vector(data));
Another possibility is to create your own TableModel which uses a synchronized ArrayList or HashMap or whatever is the most efficient container in this case.
cheers