Jesse Tilly

This is an unfortunately names topic since we seem to be concentrating on Web GUIs wheras I think most people are thinking Swing/AWT/Windows GUI at first sight.
Nonetheless, I have been tasked with providing a project framework to allow collaborative work between server-side Java developers and web content creators and graphics artists. Like everyone here has learned, this is tough. And, like everyone, we have created a process that works for us.
First and foremost, we have automated as much of the building and deploying of the application as possible. Our testers work with an internal version of the site that is recreated twice a day. The build and site deployment is capable of being performed on a user's workstation or in a server farm with a couple of command-line arguments.
As for the web content, we spent a lot of our design time creating a system with which content can develop with little or no knowledge of the back end. Using standardized XML responses or JSP taglibs, the content writers create and prototype without ever really caring what the developers are doing. They simply put code or placemarkers where results should be returned. Getting dynamic information is no different than writing image tags. This has worked very well for us so far.
Now, if we could only incorporate XP into the developer side of things, I'd be very happy. I think we can since: we're under 15 people, are pretty much paired off already, have little in the way of process other than coding standards and configuration management standards.
Jesse

1.Is JSDK an outdated Kit ?
If so to use something like Tomcat where do I get guidance ?
The JSDK was/is a reference library. It's not so much outdated as it's not "ready for prime time". Tomcat/Jakarta has a lot of documentation, start there.
2. Can I use MS access to handle data with Java.
What about SQL Server ?
Yes, via JDBC and a Type I driver. This is also known as the JDBC-ODBC bridge. I strongly reccommend that you do not use this driver. It is buggy and unsupported. For SQL Server, there are 3rd party Type II and Type IV JDBC drivers both free and for charge. If you don't need a full blown transactional database, check out Cloudscape. It's cheap and very functional as a simple persistent data store.
3.What are the strong points in using Java for non web based
applications if any ?
The previous post attacks this well.
4.Why does the cursor shiver when I am typing this topic ?
Can you fix it as this must be a Java Issue as I feel.
Are you typing in a Java-based browser? The web page is a simple HTML form.
Jesse

You would have to write the heavyweight AWT implementation for each GUI. Remember, AWT separates the objects you use (lightweight) from the objects it uses to actually display to the screen (heavyweight). I'm sure it can be done, but not with straight AWT.
Jesse

yes....sort of. In your servlet class, you write the response information to the outputstream attached to the response, not to the servlet.
Jesse

I guess you mean serial/parallel ports. Yes, a user-written, native interface would be more flexible than the Java COMM API.
Jesse

Please note that the article refers to a design and implementation found only in IBM's JDK 1.1.x JVMs. While they are widely considered the fastest JVMs on the planet, they are still not Java2 compliant.
Jesse

I passed with a 72%...and if it hadn't been for those meddlin kids with exceptions, I would have a 76%, I'm sure of it.
Jesse

Unless you had access to the source of your C++ app and could add JNI methods, you would not get *any* C++ exceptions. The best you can do is detect if the program returned in an error state after completion. Furthermore, I *highly* reccommend that you do not attempt to associate EJBs with native processes. It is not their intention and doing so will only put you in a world of hurt in the future.
Jesse

It can theoretically be done by manipulating the input and output streams associated with the program. However, DOS programs do not use STDIN and STDOUT in a standard fashion (ironic, eh?). Furthermore, exec'ing a program essentially forks it off. You can parse the output, but you cannot do much else. If someone has done this, I'd be interested to see it.
Without some form of JNI hook into running the process in a shell, you're out of luck. Sorry.
Jesse

btw, JITs have been around since JDK 1.1, just not as part of the JDK.

Jesse

I want to add something here. A JIT is run *only upon class load* and *only once*. Therefore, a JIT's optimizations are static and may or may not provide any improvement depending on the application. There are over 15 years worth of algortihmic optimization theory tied into JIT, so, in general, you should see an improvement.
JIT's run into problems when they, for example, inline what may not be a quick running function. In other words, you can't control the optimizations very well (the command line arguments are undocumented and "arcane") and you can be penalized for bad coding. Sun has created a dynamic bytecode optimizer called HotSpot which dynamically adjusts its optimizations depending on the running conditions at the time. It keeps track of memory allocation and algorithms to provide an application with better overall performance (read "over long periods of time"). This is really good of Java based application servers which can run for months.
Finally, please note that neither of these have anything to do with the non-existent optimizations incorporated with the -O option in javac. Sun's priority is optimizing the bytecode during run-time, not during compile time. If you consider the goal of Java, you will see why Sun has made this decision.
Jesse

This is Sun's attempt to make platform independent serial and parallel communications:
http://java.sun.com/products/javacomm/index.html
It's not *that* independent since (1) It's not in the JVM specification. (2) There are only versions for Win32 and Solaris.
However, you should be able to use this and not write any JNI.
Jesse

Sockets. You could probably do a reasonably easy port from the C version of telnet.
Jesse

Or using a 3rd party net library that has already written the telnet protocol into a class library.
Jesse

The Type I driver isn't that good. Why the requirement for a zero-cost driver? Sounds like it's pretty expensive in terms of time working around the problems. I couldn't find anything on JRun's site mentioning included JDBC drivers (WebLogic comes with drivers)
http://www.openlinksw.com/info/pricing.htm
That's a pricing list for some MS SQL Server Type II/IV drivers. Looks like the max you could pay if $6000. If your site needed that many concurrent connections, $6000 is cheap insurance.
As for the Type I driver, it should work. Confirm using MS Query (or another ODBC-using application) to make sure that the client's ODBC configuration is correct. You may need an updated MS SQL ODBC driver or you may have a corrupted installation. Make sure the driver DLL isn't found in more than one place.
Jesse