Cristina wrote:
> The Application Programming Model document that is bundled with Sun's
> J2EE RI openly recommends the use of JavaScript along with HTML as a
> means to enhance the GUI. I guess the document insists on this point
> because, at the same time, the use of applets as clients (which can
> neatly implement any complex GUI, of course) is openly discouraged.
Hi Cristina,
I agree with you; I think that documentation makes an enormous mistake.
JavaScript is a kluge-- it was poorly designed and poorly implemented.
DHTML suffers from similar problems plus serious browser inconsitencies.
With JavaScript, there are also serious security concerns.
I expect large companies may start banning it, particular
where access to sensitive data is an issue-- for example,
at the Department of Defense and in world governments.
On the other hand, everything I have seen about applets is terrific.
My Java2 applets work reliably and give me total control over the GUI,
and Java2 has many common GUI components that make development easy.
The traditional problem with applets has been that browser JVMs are
behind the curve (Netscape & MSIE are Java 1.1), and that Java is slow.
Both of these problems will be fixed soon when the browsers add Java2,
and when the Java2 plugin is available across all major platforms and
correctly integrated into appservers. This may take a few months,
but it will definintely happen and will definitely be done right.
Applets also give you excellent fine-grained control over security;
the Java2 security model is a powerful improvement from Java 1.
Applets also solve all the cookie-session problems, because the
applet can store whatever information you want; you are free from
worrying about cookies, client-side sessions or URL rewriting.
Applets can also do dazzling things like animate 3D graphics,
play sound files, and even stream elaborate Quicktime movies.
So I am surprised that Sun is recommending JavaScript instead of applets;
if Sun thinks that the future of interfaces looks like a web browser,
then I have to disagree: I think it will be much more robust, more
much more dynamic, and much more fun-- all because of applets.
-Joel
p.s. by the way, we have two of our best ND developers working
on improving ND5 applet support, and fixing things so that the
Java plugin will work with ND5-generated applets.
_________________________________________________________________________
For help in using, subscribing, and unsubscribing to the discussion
forums, please go to: http://www.netdynamics.com/support/visitdevfor.html
For dire need help, email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
