DDJ, January 1998
Java Programming

Additional resources (listings and source code) for the articles below can be found here.

Java: Getting Down to Business
Arthur van Hoff

A Java pioneer looks at the state of the art, Java-wise, and wonders if it is ready for prime-time business applications.

Java and COM Automation
Kenneth Bandes

Ken examines the ActiveX technology called Automation (formerly "OLE Automation"), and shows how you can implement it in Java.

Java Reflection
Paul Tremblett

With the JDK 1.1 Reflection API, you can not only discover the fields, methods and constructors of loaded classes, but also dynamically manipulate them within the basic security framework. Chris Howard adds a note on the relationship between reflection and JavaBeans.

Implementing Assertions for Java
Jeffery E. Payne
Matthew N. Schmid
Michael A. Schatz

Assertions act like watchdogs that assist you in finding bugs earlier in the development process. Our authors show how you implement assertions for Java.

Inside Java Class Files
Matt T. Yourst

Matt explores the class file format -- the key to Java's binary portability. He then presents JavaDump, a program that documents structures in class files, and StripDebug, which removes extra debug information from classes.

The Java Internationalization API
Carol A. Jones

"Internationalization" is the process of preparing programs to run in other languages. Carol examines Java's Internationalization API and shows how you can use it to design global software.

Mutual Exclusion and Synchronization in Java
Dan Ford

Dan discusses Java's concurrency features, presenting classes for mutual exclusion and synchronization that mimic the behavior and interfaces of the synchronization mechanisms available in the Win32 API.

Developing Peer-to-Peer Applications for the Internet
Louis Thomas
Adam Rifkin
Sean Suchter

SimulEdit, the text editor presented here, lets groups of people edit the same file at the same time. Enabling this application are generic network data objects (NDOs) which are shared among multiple processes communicating over a network.

Examining JDBC Drivers
Mukul Sood

JDBC, short for "Java Database Connectivity," provides a programming-level interface for communicating with databases in a uniform way. Mukul discusses the different categories of JDBC drivers, then compares them in terms of performance.

Examining Microsoft's J/Direct
Andrew Wilson

Microsoft's J/Direct, which ships as part of Internet Explorer 4.0 (and with future versions of Windows 95/NT and Internet Information Server) simplifies the Java native code calling process almost to the point where a DLL function can be directly called from within a Java applet or application.

Programming Paradigms
Michael Swaine

Will the next killer app really be a "FUDchecker"? And, if so, will it be written in Java?

C Programming
Al Stevens

Conferences, committees, and CodeWizard are the three Cs that Al sails this month.

Algorithm Alley
John Boyer

Resizable data structures are flexible, but array-based structures are fast. John shows you how to get the best of both worlds.

Java Q&A
Clif Berg

This month, Cliff addresses centralized systems administration using Marimba's Castanet 2.0 channel (and JavaSoft's HotJavaBean) for distributing secure, signed content to users.

Undocumented Corner
Robert R. Collins

The 80386 introduced microprocessor support for emulating multiple 8086s. Robert looks under the hood of these Virtual Mode Extensions, which are mostly used by memory managers and DOS boxes in Windows.

Programmer's Bookshelf
Gregory V. Wilson

Greg looks at Visual Basic 5 from the Ground Up, by Gary Cornell; UML Distilled, by Martin Fowler (with Kendall Scott); The CRC Card Book, by David Bellin and Susan Suchman Simone; and GUI Design Essentials, by Susan Weinschenk, Pamela Jamar, and Sarah C. Yeo.

Editorial
Jonathan Erickson
Letters
News & Views
the DDJ staff
Of Interest
Eugene Eric Kim
Swaine's Flames
Michael Swaine