Java
Jeff Williamson
Northern Virginia Community College
www.nvcc.edu/home/nvwillj/html-graphics/
nvwillj@nvcc.edu
Here's what little I know:
Java I assume you've heard of - it's cross-platform, its fast, it's gonna change the Internet, except that you rarely see it on websites. Why not?
If I understand correctly, Java works well as a server application and as a separate program. However in browser applets, Java's been pretty much a bust; it slows and crashes browsers so regularly that Java applets on professional sites are rare.
So let's learn how to do it!
Seriously, I'm just throwing this in FYI - it's nice to know roughly how to put a Java applet into a web page.
Basic idea:
1. Get a Java applet from somewhere - it will have the suffix .class
2. Use the required HTML tags for the applet in your page HTML (wherever you got the applet will also have the HTML tags for it)
- Most applets have paramaters in their HTML. The more your applet does, the more parameters need to be set.
The code for the applet below looks like this:
<APPLET CODE="cool.class" WIDTH=400 HEIGHT=150>
<PARAM NAME=lines VALUE="15">
<PARAM NAME=bgcolor VALUE="ffffff">
<PARAM NAME=speed VALUE="fast">
</APPLET>
3. Upload your .class file (the applet) along with your page to your
server.
4. Check your file - it will either (a) do nothing, (b) crash your browser,
or (c) work right. Be sure to test on multiple browsers.
From http://www3.bc.sympatico.ca/java/cool.html
Sources
Unlike Javascript, which is visible in the source code of a page and so can be copied, Java applets are compiled and can be set just like regular software not to run without a license. So there's less good, free Java stuff out there than there are Java scripts - if you want really good stuff, it looks like you have to pay for it.
The best
Open Cube (http://www.opencube.com) applets look to be - in my limited experience - outstanding. I found the company through the source code at the Department of Housing and Urban Development's web site, i.e. their stuff is good enough to make you read the source code. A collection of their applets is $189; perhaps the most effective for web designers are some collapsible outlines.
Update: I got an Open Cube license for all OC java applets. The catch: they can only be used in the mason.gmu.edu domain. Examples at
The rest
FunScroll is the applet running (crawling, probably) in the left gutter of this page. It is generously provided free for non-commerical use by Torpa Konsult AB. http://www.algonet.se/~jannea/FunScroll/FunScroll.html
Builder.com's Java section looks promising, but I haven't tried much from it yet.
The big (and messy) directories for Java applets on the Internet are
Gamelan - http://www.gamelan.com/javaprogramming/applets/Java Review Service -http://jars.com
Update: Freeware Java is much more organized - www.freewarejava.com