Java browser for Windows 3.1x

[Bill Crosbie]

At 01:17 PM 12/7/95 -0800, One good thing about music, when it hits you feel
alright. wrote:
>	Hi.  With all the flurry of articles on Java recently, it seems
>like this "next big thing" is currently available in Windows environments
>for Windows 95 or Windows NT.  Is that correct?  

It is actually even more than that.  Apparently Sun is getting a little
uppity and claiming that Java will be able to break Microsoft's hold on the
desktop market.  :-)  However, in terms of what platforms it will be
available for, I believe that you are mistaken.

There are two ways to view Java, as a developer and as an end user.
Developers will need to have the language and will require a port by Sun (or
some ambitious comp.sci. undergrads, I'm sure ;-))  End users will need
browsers that will let them interact with the applets.  I am fairly certain
that Java is a close relative of the C++ programming language, although
stripped down a bit, and with added network security features.  I believe
that serious Java development will be a highly technical affair... at least
until additional design tools are created.

> I have tried finding 
>information on the possibility of the Sun people porting one to the
>Windows 3.1x user base, but the company is reportedly not planning
>to work on this.   

Depending on what your goals are, you might be able to do nicely with the
Netscape navigator 2.0 browser which is in its third beta build.  One of the
advantages to focusing on Netscape is that they are providing a Web
Application scripting language which is being touted as "Java lite" by some
folks.  This will probably give you the features that you need, without as
much of the development overhead as a full Java applet.

If I am mistaken in any of these points, I would appreciate some feedback
from someone who can further clarify my understanding of this topic.  This
stuff is changing so fast that my head is swimming...

Last one in the pool is left with boring web pages!  ;-)
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 "For my purpose holds to sail		Bill Crosbie
   beyond the sunset, and the baths	Microcomputer/Network Analyst
   of all the western stars,	  	Rutgers University-Chang Library
   until I die."    ~ Tennyson		crosbie at aesop.rutgers.edu
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