Java's Busting Out All Over

Activity surrounding Sun Microsystems' Java programming language borders on the frenetic. Java, which resembles C++ in syntax, lets a developer write programs or program applets that can execute over the Internet. New Java-related projects range from efforts to port the program to mainframe computers to new visual development tools for Java programmers. General Magic has even introduced a Web Toolkit that lets developers write active agents that surf the Web, retrieve content, and interact with Java applets.

A complete Java port requires two things: a Java integrated development environment (IDE) and run-time system for the target platform and Java-enabled Web browsers for the target platform. However, any computer for which a Java-enabled Web browser is available can interact with a Java applet.

The reference IDE for Java, Sun's Java Developer's Kit (JDK), is a command-line environment that includes a compiler, a debugger, and an applet viewer. The JDK is currently available for Solaris, Windows 95 and NT, and the Mac free from http://www.javasoft.com/. Another command-line development environment for Linux is available from http://www.blackdown.org/. However, developers desiring more than a Spartan command-line environment can also choose from a variety of graphical and rapid application development (RAD) toolkits.

Rogue Wave Software's (http://www.roguewave.com) JFactory brings RAD capbilities, including a visual designer and a Java code generator, to Java. Its Object Manager provides a property sheet interface to let you access your application's properties. Also, AimTech (http://www.aimtech.com), a publisher of multimedia authoring software, says it will release a visual authoring tool, code-named Cruiser, for creating Java applets without the need for programming or scripting Cruiser will be available in the first half of the year for Window 3.1 and Windows 95.

In the browser department, Netscape's (http://home.netscape.com) Navigator 2.0 is already Java-enabled for the Linux, Solaris, SunOS, Irix, HP-UX, Digital Equipment Unix, Windows NT and Window 95 OSes. Netscape says it will release commercial (nonbeta) versions of Navigator 2.0 for Windows 3.1, AIX, and the Mac in the second quarter. Sun is also developing a version of its Java-enabled browser, HotJava, for the Power Mac. Spyglass has licensed Java for inclusion in a future release of Spyglass Mosaic, the browser on which Microsoft's Internet Explorer is based.

The variety of hardware that supports Java will increase this year. Efforts are under way to port the Java virtual engine to the StrongARM processor for personal digital assistants (PDAs) and set-top boxes during the first half of this year. Also, get ready for Java running on mainframe computers. That's right: IBM (http://www.hursley.ibm.com/javainfo/) says it hopes to port Java to the MVS OS for System 390 mainframe computers and OS/400 for the AS/400 series of minicomputers. Have more questions on Java? You can check out Digital Focus's FAQ (Frequently, Asked Questions) site at http://www.digitalfocus.com.

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