[MUD-Dev] Java and Javascript

[Matt Chatterley]

On Wed, 28 Jan 1998, Greg Munt wrote:

> Hope you can help me. I'm looking to implement some sort of graphical 
> client, within a web browser. I know that this has been done before, 
> without requiring the page to be reloaded. They used either Java or 
> Javascript, can't remember which.

Most likely Java, since from my understanding, Javascript behaves like
other scripting languages (and would require you to reload it, probably).
You could very simply write a Java Applet which serves as your client and
embedd it into a page (implying that the embedding is simple, not the
writing!).
 
> IIRC, Java is useful on the networking side, whilst Javascript is useful 
> when you need firm control of the browser itself. Does anyone care to 
> supply advantages/disadvantages of each, and what each should be ideally 
> used for?

As far as I am aware (I haven't *really* looked into JScript), only
Java has socket support, and actually runs as an 'application' within the
browser environment. An excellent text to buy is "Exploring Java" from
O'Reilly, in terms of getting started in the language and finding out
about Applets.
 
> Should I be looking at both Java *and* Javascript, to complement each 
> other, or should I concentrate on using just one of them? How much of the 
> Java/Javascript functionality does the potential DHTML/DOM standard 
> encompass?

Personally for something like this I would forget JScript (I would use it
for things such as a simple clock in a webpage, and so on). As a side
note, the Client which I started a thread thinking about recently now
exists as a simple GUI. With luck I will have a *very basic*
telnet-terminal type thing running by next week.

Pondering upon graphics, I'd say it'd be a nightmare in Script (just
thinking about scripting in general), while Java's graphics class sets
provide some very useful tools for drawing/painting.

--
Regards,
	-Matt Chatterley
"Every breath you take, every bond you break.. I'll be watching you."
                                                                    -The Police