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Java Coffee Break Articles

Special report : Microsoft DOJ Trial reveals attempts to undermine Java! Read the findings of fact for yourself!

"Inside Java" Column

Many of our readers are relatively new to Java, and want to know more about what it is, and how it works. This monthly column is devoted to an inside look at what makes Java and related technologies tick.

1. Inside Java : The Java Programming Language

Learn about Java, what it is and why it is so popular. [NOV 7, 1999]

2. Inside Java : The Java Virtual Machine

Learn about the JVM, and the important role it plays. [JAN 1, 2000]

3. Inside Java : Breaking Java Myths

We peel the layers of myth and fiction away, to reveal some Java truths. Escape the hype, and understand what Java is, and is not.  [MAY 1, 2000]

Java Gaming :
The Best of Java Games

Java Gaming highlights some of the great applet games out there written in Java. Sure, you won't see Quake on the web, but the games that are out there will astound and amaze you. Each month, we'll take a look at a sample of the great games out there.

Previous columns

  • Race3D, real 3D driving with sound effects

  • Mr Platfoot, addictive gameplay with a flying shooting puppy

  • RollerBoy 2, choice of hero or heroine, and an addictive scroller

 

Java Beginners

"Java Beginners" is a new series of articles aimed at people learning the basics of Java. These articles aim to teach important Java concepts, but at a gentler pace.

1. Is Java driving you loopy?

Loops and iteration can be tricky to master for beginners. In our no-nonsense guide, we take the complexity out of looping, so you won't go poco loco. [MAY 1, 2000]

2. Why is my applet gray? or
What causes applets to fail?

Everyone's seen it before - the ugly gray box of Java (UGBoJ). In this article you'll learn why they occur, and how to avoid them, with some simple to follow directions. [FEB 1, 2000]

3. Using MediaTracker to help load images

Images can cause a lot of problems for applets. They are often slow to load, and can cause animated applets to behave badly when images are only partially loaded. Learn how to use the MediaTracker class to help load images. [NOV 2, 1999]

4. Unraveling threads

Learn the basics of multi-threaded programming, with an easy-to-understand introduction to the topic. Includes an example of a multi-threaded applet, which displays a text-scrolling animation.
[JAN 5, 1999]

 

Java Programmers

Introducing the Single Java Object

No, this isn't a dating guide for Java developers! A fundamental pattern in software design is the singleton, an object which cannot be created (instantiated) more than once. In this article, you'll be introduced to the notion of a design pattern, and see how the singleton can be employed in your applications.
[SEPTEMBER 12, 2001]

The Carnival is Over.... Farewell to JavaOne 2001

We wrap up the JavaOne 2001 conference, and select some of the shows highlights. Also, for developers that missed the chance to attend the conference, there's some good news - you can access the conference contents online through Sun's new Java Learning Center.
[JULY 14, 2001]

"Are you Ready for WAP & WML?"

Learn about the Wireless Application Protocol, and how to make your sites accessible to wireless appliances like WAP-enabled cell phones. [AUGUST 12, 2000]

Exciting News from JavaOne

This year's JavaOne 2000 conference (June 6-9) was a blast! There were plenty of exciting announcements for developers, ranging from new Java platforms to demonstrations of real-time Java. David Reilly has all the news and gossip, and reports on the success of the conference. [JUL 1, 2000]

Getting Jini with it

No this ain't Will Smith getting 'jiggy' with it. Get 'Jini' with it, and learn about an exciting networking and distributed systems technology for hardware and software services. Think of Jini as networked plug'n'play, and you'll see but a fraction of the vision behind this new technology. Jini is the future of networking! [APR 1, 2000]

A bit about garbage collection

In an excerpt from Thinking in Java, Bruce Eckel talks about automatic garbage collection, a cool feature that de-allocates unused memory space, freeing it up for other purposes. [FEB 1, 2000]

Comparing C++ and Java

In an excerpt from Thinking in Java, Bruce Eckel lists the important differences between C++ and Java that developers should be aware of. If you're trying to get up to speed with Java, and come from a C++ background, this list will be invaluable. [JAN 1, 2000]

Yet another fractal generator

Fractal images are visually impressive patterns produced by a mathematical formula. Qian Xie shows readers how to construct fractal images using either applet or an application, which includes sample code. [DEC 1, 1999]

"Sitting for the Sun Java Certification Exams"

Despite what you may have heard, achieving Java certification isn't an impossible lofty goal. With a little experience, and a little study, almost any developer can become a Sun Certified Java Programmer. [OCT 12, 1999]

"Object Persistence Made Easy"

Object persistence is the ability to save the state of an object, and to later restore it. Java supports object persistence through serialization. Object serialization allows you to save the entire contents of objects, with only a few lines of code! No more writing file structures or length save/restore functions. [SEP 6, 1999]

"Java coming to a TV near you!"

Imagine interactive Java applications running on your television set, controlling its operation and streaming audio and video content. Imagine playing interactive games, or buying products simply from the comfort of your couch. It probably sounds like science-fiction, but the Java TV API promises to make it a reality. [JUN 24, 1999]

"Handling network timeouts in Java"

Slow connections, traffic build ups, or power interruptions can cause network connections to stall or even die. Few programmers take the time to detect and handle network timeouts, but avoiding the problem can cause client applications to freeze, and for threads in servers to block indefinitely. There are, however, easy ways to handle network timeouts. In this article, you'll learn two techniques for solving problem of timeouts in networking applications. [MAY 25, 1999]

"Top Ten Errors Java Programmers Make" - How to spot them, how to fix them.

An informative article, teaching better Java programming techniques. Not only does it teach how to find errors, but also how to fix and prevent them. [APR 30, 1999]

Getting started with JDBC

Would you like to learn database programming in Java? This article will get you started, and provides a JDBC database application which can communicate with an Access database. [DEC 1, 1998]

Java RMI & CORBA - a comparison of competing technologies

With the introduction of CORBA support to Java, developers face the question - "Should I use CORBA, or should I use RMI?".   This article gives an evaluation of these two technologies, and presents a summary of their pros and cons. [NOV 25, 1998]

Introduction to RMI

Remote Method Invocation (RMI) allows you to call functions of remote objects, and to create distributed services. This article shows you how to create such services, and gives an example of an RMI client and server. [OCT 31, 1998]

Java and CORBA - a smooth blend

Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) allows developers to create distributed systems that are capable of invoking object methods remotely. Java IDL introduces support for CORBA, as part of Java 1.2.  Learn more about this exciting new technology, and how to write your own CORBA services. [OCT 29, 1998]

"Decompilers - friend or foe?"

Decompilers can examine compiled Java classes, and analyze them to produce readable source code. Imagine if your product, or your applet, was being decompiled and analyzed by other developers - looking for security holes, or taking proprietary techniques and algorithms from your product to use in their own. Now with updated information on methods of protection, and stronger decompilers. [OCT 2, 1998]

"JavaBeans - a new component architecture"

Offers an introduction to JavaBeans, from a non-technical prospective. This article compares JavaBeans with a related component technology, ActiveX. [OCT 24, 1997]

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Last updated: Monday, June 05, 2006