New in Java 7: JLayer

[markspace]

I just saw this in the Java 7 API and it looks pretty cool. It's a new
lighter weight way to modify the Look and Feel of Java Swing components:

<http://download.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/uiswing/misc/jlayer.html>

 

[Lew]

I just saw this in the Java 7 API and it looks pretty cool. It's a new lighter
weight way to modify the Look and Feel of Java Swing components:

<http://download.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/uiswing/misc/jlayer.html>

You could use it for Hanna-Barbera-style animation, a.k.a. Commodore-64-style
animation, a.k.a. sprites. You could animate the scene out the side window of
a car or train - a near layer with fast-moving sprites, a medium-distance
layer with moderately-fast-moving sprites, and a distant layer with a
slow-moving background.

 

[Daniele Futtorovic]

I just saw this in the Java 7 API and it looks pretty cool. It's a new
lighter weight way to modify the Look and Feel of Java Swing components:

<http://download.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/uiswing/misc/jlayer.html>

Holy shit, this is hot.

Thanks for the info.

 

[Tom Anderson]

You could use it for Hanna-Barbera-style animation, a.k.a.
Commodore-64-style animation, a.k.a. sprites. You could animate the
scene out the side window of a car or train - a near layer with
fast-moving sprites, a medium-distance layer with moderately-fast-moving
sprites, and a distant layer with a slow-moving background.

Man, and i thought Swing-based UIs were bad already.

tom

 

[Nasser M. Abbasi]

I think Swing and SWT as well as other platform toolkits are on
their way out, being replaced by CSS and JA geniuses.

What is "JA" ? You mean JavaScript?

What I do not understand is how would doing the whole GUI in
Javascript, running inside the browser, would be any better or
different than say using Java applets, which is also a GUIcode
running inside the browser.

Since the browser is the new 'OS' of the future in the minds of many,
then why would using Javascript be any better than using Java, if
the goal is to run things insider the browser? Java can run inside
the browser already.

At least Java is real language than can be compiled and I think
a better language to work with, than some scripting language to
build the future of computing on.

I run many Javascript demos on new HTML5 web sites, and I do not see
them any faster or better than using Java applets. some take time
to start, some are slow, etc... So, what is new? I see the
same same performance problems I saw in the early days of Java applets
but now are coming back when using Javascript to build so called
rich internet application.

Or may be I missing something?

--Nasser

 

[Richard Maher]

"Nasser M. Abbasi" wrote in message



<snip>

I am one of applets' greatest advocates so I entirely agree with you.
Applets provide a much more powerful programming environment than
JavaScript ever will but have the one drawback of requiring the user to
have a JRE installed on their machine. Some see this as a significant
problem and it does prevent them from running on platforms where Java will
never be available such as iOS. However, it's very easy to install a JRE
on the fly (except on said platforms) and support for applets will be much
better when the new Plugin3 architecture is released later this year.
Start-up times will be significantly faster and the new version of JavaFX
(2.0) is looking impressive which will just be a Java API.

I love applets and believe they are the most underutilised deployment
platform for Java in the history of the language.

Agreed but my 2c says the attitude that has held Applets back the most is
the either/or mentality. There is *NO* JavaScript OR Applets OR Flex problem
to be solved! Like it or not the Javascript/HTML/DOM boat has sailed to de
facto standard(s) and quite rightly so. But Applets Flash/Flex is more than
welcome to carve out junks of the UI. Sadly the Java purists/elitists hold
its acceptance back by insisting on ownership of the page/UI.

As far as JavaFX goes, you might as well sing the praises of SilverLight
:-( Or that java FreeChart bollocks.

Regards Richard Maher

 

[Lawrence D'Oliveiro]

What I do not understand is how would doing the whole GUI in
Javascript, running inside the browser, would be any better or
different than say using Java applets, which is also a GUIcode
running inside the browser.

Less stuff to install => less stuff to go wrong.

 

[Lawrence D'Oliveiro]

Agreed but my 2c says the attitude that has held Applets back the most is
the either/or mentality.

I wonder where that came from ... Sun’s litigiousness towards Microsoft,
perhaps?

 

[Lew]

I wonder where that came from ... Sun’s litigiousness towards Microsoft,
perhaps?

No, Lawrence.

You assume Richard's point is correct and draw a generality from one action,
Lawrence. Sun sued Microsoft once, AFAIK, and it was over an egregious
violation of the Java license terms. In any event, Lawrence, there's no
evidence that that lawsuit had any effect on the attitudes of Java
programmers, nor that the attitude is as Richard described it, Lawrence.

 

[Lew]

Less stuff to install => less stuff to go wrong.

Less stuff to install X=> (does not imply) less stuff will go wrong, Lawrence.
For example, Lawrence, your statement is short but wrong, in the sense that
it doesn't tie to its antecedents. Which is "less stuff", Lawrence, the use
of applets? You don't say, Lawrence. Are you saying applets are the better
choice, Lawrence, or that Javascript, Lawrence, is the better choice? Your
statement is unclear, Lawrence, but even were it clearer I don't see any
supporting evidence or what the reasoning, if any, Lawrence, might be.