[geeks] javascript tutorial sought?

[der Mouse]

>> I basically want to turn the web browser into a (very specialized)
>> "termnial emulator" [...].  Perhaps JavaScript is a wrong approach?
> A Java applet would probably work a lot better for this sort of
> thing, as you can use real networking (although, again, only back to
> the originating server).  However, that'll leave you constrained
> either to an ancient API (1.1) or add an additional requirement of a
> recent Java runtime.

My target market is running at least XP, possibly Vista.  (Insofar as
"target market" is fair - currently this set of people is of size one,
and, even if it grows, I'm perfectly willing to say up front "you need
JRE version x.y or later"....)

Can Java applets speak to JavaScript within the same page?  (I'm
thinking maybe JS could act as a display interface for an applet.)

> There's also the nasty delay your users will see if your applet
> happens to be the first one they load that browser-session.

That is not a problem.

Sounds as though maybe I really want to be asking about applets.  Are
they supported by non-Windows things like Firefox?  (I need something
to develop on, and this is not an important enough project to get me to
either pay for Windows or set up a pirated Windows machine.)

Actually, my only reason for wanting to do it as something even vaguely
Webby is that the only other option I'm aware of is to make it a
standalone Windows application, and even I am not crazy enough to try
to do that without a Windows development box.  I'm sure there are
plenty of options I'm missing; anything you'd suggest I look into?

> I've been writing web applications since 1995 using very nearly every
> technology out there.  I have yet to find a single one that makes the
> web browser an acceptable platform for application delivery that
> doesn't toss out the browser entirely (ie: applets/plugins).

That's not terribly surprising; the Web browser abstraction is not a
very good paradigm match for most applications.

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