One of the coolest pieces of technology I'd ever used was a programming interface for HK Systems' mechanical cranes. However, my coolness factor just went through the roof when I got a chance to try out the Cyberflex Open 16k Development Kit from Schlumberger Smart Cards and Systems. Schlumberger is well known in high-tech oilfield and measurement systems, and the Cyberflex development team is part of their Testing and Transactions group. The Java Card technology offers some exciting opportunities for building security and "wallet" applications using the Java language, and Schlumberger is at the forefront of this effort.

The Internet has come a long way from Gopher and WAIS sites for distributing information. The World Wide Web has opened up a whole new avenue of products and a more usable method of deploying information. Multimedia has become a popular way to display your ideas over the Internet. There are a number of products on the market to help you deploy multimedia files through the Internet, but most require plugins and if you can't get them configured properly you might be left on the side of the road on the Information Superhighway. Other Internet multimedia components require your clients to install a browser plug-in or special server-side software on your Web server.

Vision JADE 4.0 is the newest release of Vision Software's application development environment for Java. While there are a bevy of Java development environments on the market, Vision JADE offers a different approach to developing Java applications. The basic design of JADE builds upon a model-driven approach to application development that Vision Software pioneered long before the world had heard of the Java language. Vision Software is in the process of releasing an updated version of JADE, version 4.0, which features a number of enhancements including an application server component.

As developers are increasingly using Java for advanced applications, they've become dependent on the availability of scalable technologies and tools to support their development, including quality assurance (QA), testing, maintenance, release and customer support requirements. The technologies available today have been inherited largely from those available for languages such as C and C++, including visual IDEs and a host of other tools that offer a solution to a particular problem. A few tools have been tailored specifically for Java and enhance the strengths of the language (like the incremental IDE VisualAge and InstallShield's installer for Java that allows Java applications to be installed onto any Java-compliant platform).

Java is unquestionably one of the hottest development languages to learn at this moment. There are hundreds of books about Java, covering all different levels. You can spend thousands of dollars on this subject and still not get any closer to Java nirvana. While you could spend your money on countless books or attend a Java class at some training center or college, MindQ offers another excellent way to learn Java: Computer-Based Training (CBT). You're probably thinking that CBTs are boring and you'll never get anything out of them. In reality, that holds true whether you take a class or read tons of books on the subject. CBT simply offers an alternative. As elegant as the Java language is, it's very dry when you try to learn it. MindQ does an exceptional job of keeping your attention glued to the subject matter through its interactive user interface.

Java Studio comes loaded on a CD-ROM. Its packaging also includes an installation instruction booklet, a serial card (for registration purposes) and the manual, Exploring Java Studio. It tells you about the basics of Java Studio, and is good for getting started. It also contains added information on the examples, which are plentiful.

A global company in the document processing business, Xerox Corporation offers a wide array of products and consulting services including publishing systems, copiers, printers, scanners, fax machines and document management software along with related products and services.

Every chance I get, I lobby for performance tools for software developers, because performance tuning is hard. This is especially true in modern object-oriented languages like Java, as opposed to older languages like C where the programming model was much closer to the hardware model. Furthermore, performance can affect the user's perception of your software. Hence, for any serious software-development project it's critical to have good performance tools available to assist the tuning efforts. OptimizeIt 2.0 Professional from Intuitive Systems is one such tool.

So there it is - the opportunity of a lifetime. It seems that the local public utilities commission has allocated a hefty budget to a new project. They want to be able to "link" all of their users in the county utilities building to the same database. All they need is a good database administrator to come in and make it happen.

Software developers invest a great deal of time, effort and money to bring a product to market. Whether it's a complete Java application, an applet for a Web site or a JavaBean component that performs some cool new function, you as a developer have a right to protect the inner workings of your Java classes from prying eyes. After all, you don't want someone looking at your super-secret algorithm or trying to analyze your classes to find potential security holes. Many developers feel confident that when they compile Java source code to bytecode, their classes will be safe. After all, who can read bytecode like a third-generation language?

Progress Software recently released the second version of its ProtoSpeed distributed application debugging and monitoring tool for testing and deploying Internet or intranet applications. ProtoSpeed is actually a combination of three related but distinct components: a protocol interaction monitor/debugger, the JWatch remote Java applet debugger from Intermetrics and an environment for creating custom network monitoring applications.

I remember how I first got into Java. A friend called my attention to these neat little mini applications that could be easily embedded into HTML files. These applets provided a quick way to jazz up even the most mundane Web pages. She showed me some UseNet groups that contained huge libraries of these applets. I soon learned how to go into their code and change (dare I use the word "hack"?) them to fit my needs. Those applets were nobody's property; they were just there for the taking. Some people would come up with clever ways of making them run more efficiently, and would post their findings for all to use. When working with pubic archives, this is all well and good. The problem is many people learned how to hack Java applications that were not public domain. They would download applications, decompile the source and hack it to look like their own.

A C++ programmer buddy of mine got some extra work writing server-side applications in Java. He was a little pressed for time so he asked me about an IDE. "There are hundreds of those things floating around out there," he lamented. "How do I know which one is best?" He had a point. Almost overnight there were more IDEs on the market than you can shake a 486 laptop at. Slogging through them all would be tiresome to say the least. I didn't hesitate when answering him, though, because I recently tried one that overwhelmingly impressed me. "Try SuperCede for Java Professional Edition," I said to him.

The world is based on objects. In the world of programming, objects are your friends, especially in an environment like Java. Objects in Java are known as JavaBeansª, or just Beans. After all, you can't make Java without Beans. ProtoView is definitely a company that wants you to use their Beans. They have a collection of JavaBeans that will help you extend your Java development and enhance your applications.

The distributor had just bought out a few rival businesses in town. The paperwork had been signed, the funds were transferred and the deal was complete. The only detail to be worked out was to link all the locations together into one coordinated unit. The MIS manager was horrified to learn that the databases of the other locations are as diverse as can be. Some of them are relational databases, whereas the home database is of the newer object type. What he needs is a tool that allows him to "wrap" all the databases together into one manageable, tightly knit application. What he needs is TopLink from The Object People.

A few years back, I dropped in on a friend who was busy at work on her computer. "Whatcha doin'?", I asked playfully. "I'm writing a program", she replied without looking up. As I looked over her shoulder I was befuddled by what I saw. She was opening drop menus and clicking on options or typing simple addresses into dialogue boxes. I was familiar with the monstrous task of typing complicated code in a text editor, and then going through the painful ritual of compiling and debugging

Once upon a time, it looked as though I was set for a while on software. I had L-View, the new picture editing shareware everyone was talking about. I had Microsoft Paint, a pretty good graphics creation program (if you didn't mind your graphics looking like a child in first grade had drawn them). I had HTML Notepad and a full head of hair. What more could a budding young Web developer ask for to guarantee success in this brand new industry?

Trying to develop applications in conjunction with a database can be a nightmare. Customer orders must be filled, accounts payable must be debited and inventory must be adjusted. Performing a task like this directly from the Internet lends itself to the flexibility and platform independence of Java.

The huge task of creating that great Java application is finally over. Although the product is "user friendly" when up and running, installation has typically been very cumbersome and time consuming. A product that is easy for the layman to install will surely outsell one that isn't.

Data! You can't live without it. Wherever you go, whatever you touch, information is continually being flashed before us. It wasn't so long ago that people were complaining of not having enough information and now our medical experts are telling us to take days off due to the information overload some are experiencing.

Visual Cafe for Java is an integrated development environment tool for creating Java applets and applications that interface with databases. In addition, you can create JavaBeans, native EXEs and DLLs. Some of the improvements include:

OrbixWeb 3.0 is a CORBA 2.0 compliant, 100% Pure Java ORB with better lifecycle management of distributed objects. It includes many useful services which make it easier to develop, deploy and manage distributed applications in the Internet age.

Data is one of those housekeeping duties that has to be performed by everyone who uses a computer. Whatever level they are on, somewhere along the line data is stored, files are created and directories are made.

You've just finished up that Java program you've been working on for a while. You sit back in your chair and feel proud of yourself. It's now time to show your finished work to the boss. Half an hour later he calls you into the office. "What's this?" he asks as he holds up one of the floppies that you proudly gave him just a little while ago. You try to hide the confusion and fear in your voice as you answer. "It's the application I've been working on. It's finished, and I just wanted you to have a look at it." He gestures you to his side of the desk. You watch him open the application on his machine. It opens just fine, but as soon as he begins to use it, it slows down, way down. Almost to a complete stop. "I thought it was hanging up my system," he says to you as he munches his sandwich, "but after I came back from getting my food, it started to run - a little bit, anyway." He gives you an encouraging word as he puts his hand on your shoulder to escort you to his door. "Fix it," he says as he closes the door behind you.

Many of the smaller tasks which Java developers are required to take on within a larger project can take on the air of a larger project all on their own. Developing a grid control can be one of those tasks. Many companies have responded to this need by creating their own "plug-and-play" grids for Java developers to implement in their own projects. Stingray's Objective Grid for Java is a fine example of tools which can enhance a Java application and shorten design time. Developers can use the Objective Grid control anywhere they can use an AWT control, saving time and effort.

If you are a Java developer, you are no doubt familiar with O'Reilly and Associates and their line of books. One of the first Java books on the market was O'Reilly's "Java in a Nutshell". Although there had been a couple of "how-to" books published, there were no Java reference books available for the professional programmer. The Nutshell series is not for beginners, but rather for seasoned code-jockeys who will dog-ear the book in no time flat. But the funny thing was, even beginners started to sing the praises of the Nutshell book.

Data You just can't get away from it. No matter what you do, a certain amount of data is always generated. One of the more profound quotes of the day can be attributed to Peter Large of Information Anxiety, where he once said: "More Information has been produced in the last 30 years than in the previous 5,000. About 1,000 books are published internationally every day, and the total of all printed knowledge doubles every eight years."

From the very first steps this column took, a journey of discovery was promised which, hopefully, has not disappointed. Using Visual Cafe as our development platform, we have ventured into areas of Java that others have feared to tread. From building complete applets with database connectivity to developing classes for sending and receiving e-mail, this column has so far tackled a wide variety of different problems. On the face of it, many of the topics appear difficult or far too complicated to have in an ordinary applet, application or servlet. But I think you'll agree that once the initial wall has been scaled, the rest of the problem becomes somewhat academic.

You spend weeks, months, maybe years developing your application. Your testing phase is going well and you're almost ready to begin thinking about your deployment phase. Just when you think it's safe to breathe again, you're faced with the daunting task of deploying your application on the desktops of thousands of users. If your application is for the commercial market, then you have no idea how many users you will need to deploy it to. You need an easy, fail-safe way to get your application installed. Have no fear, InstallShield Express is here!

Without data from a database, business applications really don't do much. To take your Java experience to the next level, you should have database connectivity. There are still a lot of custom built DOS-based applications that are using xBase database technology, like dBASE, Fox Pro and Clipper. You're trying to convince your company to wake up and smell client/server, that Java can work as a database client and you can keep your data in their existing database format. The solution is using Sequiter Software's CodeBase database management library.

In our last column we addressed one of the most commonly asked questions regarding the sending of e-mail from within a Java applet or application. This was achieved using the SMTP protocol, and by the end of the article a fully functional SMTP class was constructed. Before we continue the development of our column project, Informer, I thought it would be a good idea to complete the e-mail service by presenting the other half of the equation: picking up mail from a mailbox. This article will concentrate on building a class that can be used to interrogate a POP3 mailbox.

After making the important decision to embrace the Common Object Request Broker(CORBA), the next important decision that you will have to make is choosing an Object Request Broker(ORB) vendor suitable for your needs. You have many options to select from: Digital's ObjectBroker, ExpertSoft's PowerBroker, HP's Orb Plus, IBM's SOM, Iona's Orbix, Sun's Joe, VisiBroker from Visigenic, etc.

During the past several years, Borland has been in the doghouse as the stock price has languished. But with new management, the company has been showing strong signs of resurgence. Evidence of this is the release of JBuilder, an integrated development environment for Java. But instead of being a tool to make cool Java applets for Web sites, JBuilder is positioned for what Borland calls the "InfoNet," which includes corporate development for the Internet, intranet and extranet.

Are you looking to integrate professional looking business and engineering charts within your Web application with little or no coding on your part? Are you an HTML author or a Java developer looking for 100% Pure Java certified business charts that you can integrate within your Web site? Are you looking to update your application's business and engineering charts dynamically by using JDBC and a database back end? If you answered yes to all, then NetFactory's NetCharts 2.0 is the answer.

If you want to create your own Amazon.com, then you should try iCat's Electronic Commerce Suite 3.0 Professional Edition. iCat started developing e-commerce software in 1993, when Amazon.com was just an idea in Jeff Bezo's brain.

This column looks at the construction of an Intranet-based contact manager known as Informer. In previous articles, I have looked at the building blocks of Informer, and how easy it was to use Symantec's dbAnywhere package to provide all of the database connectivity. For those of you following this column, you will have noted that very little actual code has been produced manually. This is due to Visual Café's excellent drag and drop interface. I could attempt to continue the complete construction of Informer without having to produce a single line of code myself, but that would defeat the purpose of this column: trying to teach Java. And besides that, it would be boring!

Visual J++ Database Programming Overview So, you need to access a database from your Java program. Well, if you're using Visual J++, you're in luck! Unlike some other Java development environments, with Visual J++ you have at least three ways (more if you opt for third party solutions) of accessing a database. Some of these methodologies will be familiar to you if you have developed database applications in other Microsoft applications like Visual Basic or Visual C++. The DAO (Data Access Objects) and RDO (Remote Data Objects) are Microsoft COM (Component Object Model) techniques for accessing databases. With a little help, Visual J++ also supports database access through the traditional Java JDBC classes.

As the push to Web-based computing gains momentum, the variety of available tools, standards, techniques and languages gets increasingly complex. In implementing a Web strategy, IS managers must make some hard decisions on issues that include: supported browsers, ISP selection, Web server platform and OS, application server platform and OS, object architecture standards, client-side component approach (HTML vs. Java vs. ActiveX), server-side component tools (VB5, C++, PowerBuilder 6, Delphi, Java), security standards, database engine selection, search engine selection, business content creation and more.

Object Design's ObjectStore PSE Pro for Java is a native Java-persistent object database (PSE stands for Persistent Storaget Engine). It allows running Java objects to save and restore state. The differences between the Pro' release and the general release involve the ability to simultaneously access databases and to recover databases.

In our last article, we introduced what is now our column project: Informer. Informer is a small contact database application that is designed to provide contact information about various personnel over an Intranet or Internet. The idea for this project evolved from one of our N-ARY designers, Frode Hegland, who wanted to make information more available to people without saddling them with horrendous client-side applications. So, we came up with the Informer. Over this series of columns, we will be building new features into the Informer, showing you how easy Java can make building what, on the face of it, seems to be a rather complex system.