[WEB4LIB] Re: Java and e-resource vendors

[Eric Hellman]

At 8:14 AM -0700 9/23/01, Thomas Dowling wrote:
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Richard L. Goerwitz III" <richard at goerwitz.com>
>But as a different wise man said, the future isn't what it used to be.  I
>agree with your assessment that client-side Java is dwindling in importance,
>and I'd identify four reasons.  First, all the cutesy (but pointless)
>animations that were initially used to demonstrate Java are now easier to
>make in Flash (though they're still mostly pointless).  Second, Java applets
>are still substantially harder to develop than comparable server-side
>platforms.

Also you can do a surprising amount of pointless animation in 
javascript (which is related to java in appearance only). so on the 
client side, java has only a few places where it's a clear winner, 
networked games being the most prominent. yahoogames, for example

>
>Third, the "run anywhere" part of Java proved to be a mirage.  Point fingers
>where you will, the reality is that no one can risk putting a
>mission-critical application out as an applet, except in intranets with
>tightly controlled browser options.  Witness the cross-browser issues with
>the Dynix Java interface, which, last time I checked, won't run with *Sun's*
>version of Java installed as a plug-in.

"mirage" isn't quite the right word. "run anywhere" is a reality in 
java, but there ain't no such thing as a free lunch. "run anywhere" 
in java takes a lot of work, testing, and discipline, so in practice 
it doesn't happen.

Eric
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Eric Hellman
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