Why is Java so inconsistent?

[Dave Best]

Hey all,

Myself and a friend have been toying around with writing a web based game
but its getting very frustrating. Why is Java so inconsistent? We picked
it because of its x-platform capability but all i've gotten is head aches.
What works on one browser with a specific JRE doesn't on another, or another
OS. I just upgraded my version of Jdeveloper and now the code doesn't
function the same as before.

I know i'm vague but does anyone have any tips for writing applets that work
x-platform and a stable version of Java to use?

Thanks

 

[Jacob]

Myself and a friend have been toying around with writing a web based game
but its getting very frustrating. Why is Java so inconsistent? We picked
it because of its x-platform capability but all i've gotten is head aches.
What works on one browser with a specific JRE doesn't on another, or another
OS. I just upgraded my version of Jdeveloper and now the code doesn't
function the same as before.

I know i'm vague but does anyone have any tips for writing applets that work
x-platform and a stable version of Java to use?

Have you looked at Java Web Start?

 

[Thomas Kellerer]

Hey all,

Myself and a friend have been toying around with writing a web based game
but its getting very frustrating. Why is Java so inconsistent? We picked
it because of its x-platform capability but all i've gotten is head aches.
What works on one browser with a specific JRE doesn't on another, or another
OS. I just upgraded my version of Jdeveloper and now the code doesn't
function the same as before.

I know i'm vague but does anyone have any tips for writing applets that work
x-platform and a stable version of Java to use?

Thanks

Without specific examples it's hard to tell why you see this. But bear
in mind that JDK 1.1.x (which is the one used by default by IE) is
extremely different in some terms to 1.3 or 1.4.

So when switching JDK versions there is always some "inconsistency" due
to the new features. If you stick to one version (e.g. 1.3 or 1.4, I
wouldn't choose any other, actually I haven't used 1.3 for nearly a year
now) then things should work smoothly.

Thomas

 

[Roedy Green]

I know i'm vague but does anyone have any tips for writing applets that work
x-platform and a stable version of Java to use?

You save most of those headaches if you insist your clients use the
Java plug-in. The big problems come from old IE and Netscape Java
implementations where the vendors were trying hard lock developers
into their platform with quirks.


Java Web Start gets rid of even more of those headaches.

See http://mindprod.com/jgloss/javawebstart.html

I talked my boss/client into it for a project we are working on, a
multifeed security camera viewer. He was very reluctant to use a
technology he did not understand. I sent him a bat file and some
links in the Java glossary. He phoned me triumphant that he too was
able to jar and sign the application and that it was far simpler than
he ever imagined.


Now he is jittering at me to use some of the more sophisticated JWS
features.

I think he was worried about how it would look to use a phony
certificate, and how clumsy that would be for the user. He was happy
to discover that JWS does not pester the user about the certificate
over and over. It just imports it (not quite sure just where yet), on
the first try.

 

[Enrique]

Have you looked at Java Web Start?

I second this. To hell with applets. Write a Swing app and distribute it with JWS.

Why folks are still stuck on applets is beyond me.

 

[Tim Tyler]

:> Have you looked at Java Web Start?

: I second this. To hell with applets. Write a Swing app and distribute
: it with JWS.

: Why folks are still stuck on applets is beyond me.

It probably has something to do with trying to get people to use their
app without incurring a huge download.

What is the level of JWS installations - relative to those who can
run applets - 10% or so? Less?

 

[Nigel Wade]

:
:> Have you looked at Java Web Start?

: I second this. To hell with applets. Write a Swing app and distribute
: it with JWS.

: Why folks are still stuck on applets is beyond me.

It probably has something to do with trying to get people to use their
app without incurring a huge download.

What is the level of JWS installations - relative to those who can
run applets - 10% or so? Less?

What's the number of platforms it's supported on relative to applets?