> We have this already: <applet>. As we all know, it didn't work out so well.
I hear that a lot, but I think Java applets didn't gain widespread traction more because of the arrival of Flash as an easier format for simple animations and interactions than anything else.
Java applets remain a useful tool for browser-based UIs today; one of my current projects involves writing one. The biggest technical hurdle is that not everyone installs a modern JRE with their browser any more, which is a downer for casual use because it means there's stuff to install locally. For tools you're going to use every day it's no big hurdle, though.
The primary alternatives are Flash (which is well-established but looking more awkward and proprietary with all the current politics, and somewhat limited in its applicability) and JavaScript (which has potential, but isn't even close to being a good language for developing serious UIs of moderate or large size today, and no amount of HTML5 canvas/multimedia hype is going to change that).
I hear that a lot, but I think Java applets didn't gain widespread traction more because of the arrival of Flash as an easier format for simple animations and interactions than anything else.
Java applets remain a useful tool for browser-based UIs today; one of my current projects involves writing one. The biggest technical hurdle is that not everyone installs a modern JRE with their browser any more, which is a downer for casual use because it means there's stuff to install locally. For tools you're going to use every day it's no big hurdle, though.
The primary alternatives are Flash (which is well-established but looking more awkward and proprietary with all the current politics, and somewhat limited in its applicability) and JavaScript (which has potential, but isn't even close to being a good language for developing serious UIs of moderate or large size today, and no amount of HTML5 canvas/multimedia hype is going to change that).