We are investigating using XPCOM as a framework for our project.  Our 
application will run as a stand-alone executable, and it will be used as a 
plug-in within browsers: Mozilla, Safari, and IE.  We require JS scripting 
of our application, so packaging Spidermonkey with our application seems 
appealing.  In this case, we could use XPConnect to perform the integration.

I've noticed that XPCOM's plug-in API (XPConnect?) has been replaced by 
npruntime.  Is this because plug-in writers are moving towards using ActiveX 
integration in IE with npruntime wrappers for the other browsers?  I reckon 
this would eliminate having to package a JS engine with a plug-in, which is 
currently the approach used by Macromedia Flash and Adobe Acrobat Reader. 
On the other hand, writing the npruntime wrappers could become labour 
intensive.  Is there a npruntime to ActiveX bridge?  What is the recommended 
approach for developing rich environment browser plug-ins?  It would be 
nice, if we could also use a JS engine with our stand-alone executable.

Also, in this context, which is better to use: standalone XPCOM or XPCOM 
with the entire Mozilla source tree?  If possible, I imagine the standalone 
implementation would be more desirable.  Is XPCOM packaged as a separate 
product that you can get frozen stable interfaces and implementations for? 
Is there documentation for the various Mozilla XPCOM libraries?  I read the 
standalone is not compatible with the one in the Mozilla tree.  Why is this, 
and should this be a concern?

Assuming standalone XPCOM is the way to go, can someone point me to 
directions on how to download it and use it with XPConnect/Spidermonkey?

Thanks for any advice. 


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