Steve Thomas

For thousands of companies, Java lowers the cost of software deployment and creates unprecedented flexibility in managing applications. In spite of this, I sometimes run into developers who sneer at applets. "I don't care about mere applets in Java," they tell me. "I'm writing real applications." Real applications, they argue: Don't run within a browser, cluttered as it is with interface elements like menus, back/forward buttons, etc. Are not limited by the Java "sandbox" Are installed once and then run many times after installation Are launched from the desktop Unfortunately, this desktop-centric paradigm has several limitations: Applications must be installed by either the end-user (difficult to control and maintain consistency) or by the centralized IS department (very expensive). Applications must be updated all at once, even if the change is very small. Even if the ap... (more)