Java Applets! Dead? Rockin?

Java Applets are the unwelcome guests at a party. They always arrive too late (long startup time), they are fat (favorite food is memory and cpu cycles), and they know everything and can do everything (a lot of frameworks and desktop like behavior), smart-asses. That’s why nobody invites them anymore. Only from time to time you find them on some weird parties (mostly parties about math and science, urgh). However, they are never at the real cool parties because there are the cool guys, like the entertaining and good looking AIR or the I-buy-love-with-money-Mr-Silverlight. Java Applets always wanted to become cool too, but their parents, Sun, only had feelings for the brother, the server side. About 1,5 years ago Sun recognized that Java Applets were so unpopular and sad that they wanted to die. Suddenly, Sun changed their mind and said “We already have one popular child, we can make you cool as well. Let’s go into a camp called Java 6 Update 10 and you will be slim, sporty, and looking fraggin cool.” So Java Applets have been training the last 1,5 years and they are some good results (more here). Another help comes from the cousin, JavaFX, who teaches Java Applets easy social interaction. However, the big question is: Are they still some hosts who will give Java Applets another shot? What’s your opinion?

Here some opinions:

FunkyCodeMonkey

Rick Ross

Where are the Java Applets

Update:

Geertjan wrote a great entry about the new features and a lot of examples: Applets Reloaded

heli's blog heli 10 Apr 2008 No Comments

Update: Java SE 6 Update 10 Beta available

Since April 1st (no it’s not again a bad joke) the Java SE 6 Update Beta build is available. For all you don’t know what this is about (yes, you two in the corner), here are the major features:

  • Enhanced Java deployment: Deployment Toolkit, Java Kernel online installer, Java auto-updater, and server side requirements are removed.
  • Improved performance: Java Quick Starter and Hardware acceleration support
  • Improved Look&Feel: Nimbus
  • Next generation plugin-in: Applets are back and rock

Continue Reading »

heli's blog heli 05 Apr 2008 1 Comment

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