What Good is Java

As long as I've been hearing about Java (which is about as long as it's been out) I've been hearing PORTABLE!! Hey, it's FULLY PORTABLE! OK, that means I can write an application and without having to rewrite it - WHALLAH - it works on any of the most popular platforms out there right?

Well I guess that's true but so far in my experience, it takes pretty near a network engineer to configure a computer to use it. I mean you've gotta make sure all the files are in their proper directories and of course you've gotta make sure the CLASSPATH has all the right paths in it.
Then there are securities and . . .

Recently, I decided to create an application that's Web based, using Java Applets that will connect to an embedded database. Hey, there's a real good use for Java. I can write browser based applications that DON'T have to be connected to the Internet.

Then I got neck deep into Signed Applets. It turns out that you've gotta create a policy file on the client's machine, make sure the Java Plug in (and it better be the right version) is properly installed and . . . that is, get my network engineer to visit EVERY MACHINE that is going to use this thing and make sure it's configured to be able to use the application.

LOOK!! If I've gotta do that much to get the application to work, then I have to have full control of every machine that's going to use it. In that case, I can pretty much mandate WINDOWS!! which means PORTABLE is USELESS and I can completely forget about Java.

For applications (Web or desktop) that are going to be distributed to an unknown client base, it seems that Java leaves a great deal to be desired and the problem is FAR from solved.

So I ask . . . (a little tongue in cheek really) WHAT GOOD IS JAVA!!!!!

Web Development Contractor