VisAD uses Java 1.2 because 1.2 is required for Java3D, and
because Java RMI did not work properly in Java 1.1. Browsers
have only recently come up to Java 1.1, and Java 1.2 is still
in beta release (and Java3D is still in alpha). Thus it will
be a while before browsers can support Java 1.2 and Java3D.
I am not an expert on browsers, but I understand that there is
a way to add new classes to some browsers, and perhaps even to
substitute a different JVM. Someone clever with browsers
might be able to get one to run Java 1.2. Then there should
be no reason why VisAD couldn't run in applets.
There is also the issue of limited access by applets, but
there is also work on increasing access for 'trusted'
applets.
No one at SSEC or Unidata is working on the issue of VisAD
in applets, so it is open to anyone who wants to take a crack
at it.
Bill
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Bill Hibbard, SSEC, 1225 W. Dayton St., Madison, WI 53706
whibbard@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 608-263-4427 fax: 608-263-6738
http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/~billh/vis.html
"kill cross-platform Java by growing the polluted Java market"
- from an internal Microsoft planning document
