Re: [Java-gnome-developer] GNOME Web Start

[Robert S. <the...@gm...>]

Hi Benjamin,
first of all. Java WebStart is the name of Sun's implementation of a 
JNLP client. Its not the only one out there.
A Free implementation is OpenJNLP (http://openjnlp.nanode.org/ - Mozilla 
Public License). Unfortunately it was
not updated since December 2002. Maybe you could use this as a base for 
you work or at least get some ideas from
it (I personally would like to see a JNLP client that is licensed under 
GPL).

Btw: Java-Gnome may add a service to the JNLP API allowing applications 
to query whether Java-Gnome is available
(and which version.). For more infos about that API have a look here: 
http://java.sun.com/products/javawebstart/docs/javadoc/index.html

cu
Robert

Benjamin P. Jung wrote:

>Hi all,
>
>I'm new to this list and didn't bother to read the whole history, so
>please forgive me if the idea which I want to present ain't new at
>all. :-)
>
>I have never ever written an application using GTK/GNOME, but my skills
>as a Java programmer are quite good. I played around with the java-gnome
>binding itself and was surprised how easy it is to create a nice GUI
>using Glade and then actually loading it using the excellent java-gnome
>bindings... the documentation on how to do all the tricky things sucks /
>is just not completed. My English isn't very good as it ain't my native
>tongue but I could to do some German translations if needed.
>
>But now to my actual idea:
>I'm using Java Web Start to deploy most of my Java/Swing applications.
>It's a clean and easy way to keep all users of a software product
>up-to-date.  See http://java.sun.com/products/javawebstart/
>It's a technology that 'just works' (tm).
>I haven't tried yet,... but it should be possible without too many
>problems to deploy applications that use the java-gnome bindings via
>Java Web Start, too. Java Web Start uses the Java Net Launching Protocol
>(JNLP) which is a well documented standard provided by SUN Microsystems.
>You browse the web, download a jnlp file (XML format) and hand it over
>to your Web Start application which does the rest for you. It downloads
>all the required JAR files and (if needed) native libraries, it handles
>permission control and security (all JAR files need to be digitally
>signed).
>
>Why not write a clone of SUN's original Java Web Start which acts as an
>JNLP interpreter and handles start menu / desktop integration, caching
>and updates of already installed Web Start applications and libraries...
>JNLP spec.: http://java.sun.com/products/javawebstart/download-spec.html
>
>Maybe the idea is dumb, but it could become some kind of killer
>application. I'm speaking of an application to deploy platform
>independent Java applications that integrate nicely into your GNOME
>desktop. (It might be extended at some further point to be able to load
>and deploy apps that are e.g. written in python).
>
>Test page for my 1st attempt of a java-gnome application that can be
>started via SUN's Java Web Start:
>http://phreakzone.com/~bpjung/projects/gws/gws.jnlp (ain't working, yet)
>
>The goal should be to create an application that runs using SableVM or
>any other open source Java Runtime. Maybe it's overkill to use JNLP and
>the first goal should be to create a data format that is slightly easier
>to handle... comments anybody?
>
>
>Have fun...
>  Benjamin
>  
>