Winframe server and Java based library catalogues

[Dennis Brantley]

Jean-Marc Edwards wrote:
> 
> We are thinking of using a Winframe server and Windows terminal to
> access our Dynix catalogue which is in Java. We have not yet started
> the testing of this configuration.
> 
> Our users will be accessing the catalogue using Netscape running on
> the Winframe server.
> 
> Does anyone know if Citrix Winframe will let Netscape run Java
> applications properly? Is the display on the Windows terminal fine
> when Java-based applications run from Netscape on the Winframe server ?
> 

We are currently piloting a similar project for a university.  Let me
make sure I understand:

..Windows terminals (non-PC devices) will connect to WinFrame to run
Netscape.  OK, though you are limited to 256 colors.  Depending on the
device, there may be no sound available.

..Dynix catalogue is in Java.  That's OK, assuming the version of
Netscape used is compatible with the Java implementation chosen by
Ameritech, of course.  This is not a function of WinFrame.  BTW, from
what I can tell, only WebPAC for NT uses a Java applet.  Other versions
of WebPAC appear to use JavaScript.  I would appreciate some
clarification on this, please.  Either should work with Netscape on
WinFrame.  Besides potential performance and programatic issues, the
biggest difference is in the ease of modification, which is probably a
Dynix no-no anyway.

..Display.. WebPAC will run in the browser window, rather than full
screen.  In this case, I assume this is a plus, or at least acceptable.

One possible concern:  if there is any animation involved in the Java or
JavaScript, whether part of Dynix or part of a site visited by Netscape
on WinFrame, the animated component will consume some extra WinFrame
resources, and will not run cleanly as though on a PC.  The differences
will vary, depending on the number of users on the WinFrame server, the
intensity of the applet/script, and the network bandwidth.  For example,
a script that moves a banner smoothly across the screen when using a PC
will likely move in a jerky motion when the browser itself is hosted by
WinFrame.

This is different from when the browser is client-based and the
application is WinFrame based, but that doesn't apply in this case.

If you will be using WinFrame for other things, such as providing CD
applications from the web browser, there are some other considerations. 
If strictly using Java, the application will still run in the browser
window, and this can be a little awkward to use.  Picture WinSpirs or
Folio at 640 x 480 inside your browser window and you get the point. 
Potentially lots of scrolling up and down and right and left and...  You
can mitigate some of this by using higher device resolutions such as
1024 x 768, if the device can support it and still have the 640 x 480
application resolution be readable.  If you reduce the size of the
application window in order for it to fit inside the browser, then you
still will be scrolling, only now you are scrolling the application
itself, rather than the browser.  It that muddy enough?  To further
confuse it, we have experimented with using the WinFrame Java client
full-screen, but it too has its own oddities, and wouldn't apply here.

However, if the only access is through Netscape on WinFrame (no
LAN-based browsing), then Netscape can be configured to launch other
applications externally, where they can run full-screen.  If there is a
Macintosh or UNIX system somewhere in the equation or LAN-based
browsing, there are yet other considerations, but that's a story for
another day ;-)

--
Dennis Brantley
Data Access Technologies, Inc.
Toll Free 1-888-4-DATI-CD (432-8423)
Voice (770) 339-6554  FAX (770) 682-0629
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