Web Start compared with HTTP-JAR

[Stefan Ram]

When I put an executable JAR file on a web server, a link to
it can be clicked and the JAR file will be executed.
(Possibly, the user will be asked to confirm this.) It can
also be cached by the web browser, so that it might start
faster the next time. The user can also put a link to it in
his start menu or somewhere else, so that he can start it
nearly like a local program.

Which additional benefits does Java Web Start provide compared
to an executable JAR available via HTTP?

 

[Arne Vajhøj]

When I put an executable JAR file on a web server, a link to
it can be clicked and the JAR file will be executed.
(Possibly, the user will be asked to confirm this.) It can
also be cached by the web browser, so that it might start
faster the next time. The user can also put a link to it in
his start menu or somewhere else, so that he can start it
nearly like a local program.

Which additional benefits does Java Web Start provide compared
to an executable JAR available via HTTP?

The users will be willing to run a Java web start app because
the security manager should protect them.

An executable jar is more like linking to an EXE file. The users
should say no unless they really know who created it.

I think that is the big difference.

Besides that I believe JWS has a cache and upgrade if necesarry
capability.

Arne

 

[Rainer Frey]

When I put an executable JAR file on a web server, a link to
it can be clicked and the JAR file will be executed.
(Possibly, the user will be asked to confirm this.) It can
also be cached by the web browser, so that it might start
faster the next time. The user can also put a link to it in
his start menu or somewhere else, so that he can start it
nearly like a local program.

Which additional benefits does Java Web Start provide compared
to an executable JAR available via HTTP?

* Webstart handles application consisting of more than one jar file
* Webstart allows to provide configuration for the Java VM (VM commandline
options, Java system properties)
* Webstart provides OS dependent resources and configuration
* Webstart provides digital signature and certificate verification
* Webstart provides automatic updates with a specified caching mechanism and
update of changed resources only
* when hosted on a servlet container with the webstart download servlet, it
provides updates based on versioned jar files instead of file timestamp
changes

Rainer

 

[Roedy Green]

Which additional benefits does Java Web Start provide compared
to an executable JAR available via HTTP?

Java web start will cache the jars at the client. It lets you control
how each jar is loaded. You can star the app without downloading all
the jars to start. If you have JNI, it will select the appropriate
jar for the client. JWS will put an icon on the desktop.

JWS will update jars if they change on the server.

JWS will optionally allow programs to run without an Internet
connection.

--
Roedy Green Canadian Mind Products
http://mindprod.com

"At this point, 29 percent of fish and seafood species have collapsed - that is,
their catch has declined by 90 percent. It is a very clear trend, and it is accelerating.
If the long-term trend continues, all fish and seafood species are projected to collapse
within my lifetime -- by 2048."
~ Dr. Boris Worm of Dalhousie University

 

[Roedy Green]

When I put an executable JAR file on a web server, a link to
it can be clicked and the JAR file will be executed.
(Possibly, the user will be asked to confirm this.) It can
also be cached by the web browser, so that it might start
faster the next time. The user can also put a link to it in
his start menu or somewhere else, so that he can start it
nearly like a local program.

Which additional benefits does Java Web Start provide compared
to an executable JAR available via HTTP?

see http://mindprod.com/jgloss/javawebstart.html
--
Roedy Green Canadian Mind Products
http://mindprod.com

"At this point, 29 percent of fish and seafood species have collapsed - that is,
their catch has declined by 90 percent. It is a very clear trend, and it is accelerating.
If the long-term trend continues, all fish and seafood species are projected to collapse
within my lifetime -- by 2048."
~ Dr. Boris Worm of Dalhousie University