Java on Your Web Site? Part 2
by Scott Clark
Many of these applets have a small "footprint," meaning that the size of the applet's class file or files is tiny, taking a minimum of time to download and initialize. Some, such as DellasTreeApplet even allow you to utilize both a treeview and images. Keep in mind that additional functionality usually means additional file size (and download time) as well.
Many people place Java applets on their site to attract more visitors. Utility applets are a good way to do that. There are a number of utilities that are very helpful to Web developers, such as:
These can be added to your site at no cost, and they provide your visitors with an easy way to accomplish otherwise cumbersome tasks. Another big draw are Java-based games. Although many games are commercial and require the purchase of a license for use on your site, others, such as CanoeClobber and Gopher are free for non-commercial use.
In all these cases, it's always kind to provide a link back to the author's site. It's often not a requirement, but the programmers that developed these applets deserve all the attention and recognition they can get. If you use the source code from one of these games to develop your own version, kindly include the original author's name in your source code, and drop them a note to share your improvements--most authors are delighted to see their applet being used or improved!
There are many applets that don't fall into any single category. They may be educational applets that only those into artificial life would be interested in, or audio applets which are used to tune your guitar. These type of applets are best used on Web sites devoted to those particular topics.
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This article first appeared in July, 1998
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