Python-based browser plugins?

[Terry Hancock]

On Wednesday 30 October 2002 08:47 pm,  Stuart D. Gathman wrote:
> >  It seems there is, for example, no end-to-end free-software way
> > to run a Java2 applet.
> 
> Yes, but at least Java 2 is still an open specification.  Open source
> implementations are just getting Java 1.1 down pat, and have a long ways
> to go for Java 2.  The open spec seems a reasonable way to provide revenue
> for Sun, while allowing fully compatible open source implementations (no
> hidden APIs like with Microsoft).  It would be nice if Sun open sourced
> their old stuff (like Java 1.1) also, but OSS Java 1.1 is already pretty
> good.

Actually it was the "open spec" part that my source claimed was not the case 
-- i.e. that Sun took the legal position that their spec was covered by the 
"Sun Community Source License" and that software based on it was therefore 
covered (making the SCSL essentially a non-disclosure agreement -- you can 
only read it if you promise not to implement it, or that implementations of 
it would be owned by Sun).  I seriously doubt that such a position actually 
could be held up in court, but it's a nasty concept.  I realize that Sun is 
really going after Microsoft, but I'd prefer not to get flakked along the way.

Apparently the OSS Java 1 *is* pretty good, BTW, it seems I've been using 
Jikes + Kaffe on my Debian 3 system without really noticing. None of the 
websites I regularly go to seems to choke on it anyway.

Of course, my source ( http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/debian-java-faq/ ) 
may be out of date or just plain wrong, but I am pretty ignorant on Java 
issues.  Are you in fact saying that the SCSL restriction on the specs was 
lifted (perhaps sometime after the Debian article was written?). If so, that 
would naturally make a difference.  If the problem is merely technical -- no 
one has actually got a free Java2 working yet, that's not so serious.

I'm interested that you'd choose to use the AWT, by the way -- most of the 
stuff I've seen advocates Swing very strongly.  We originally spec'd 
operability with Netscape 4.x, which I think does mean sticking with Java 1.1 
(except that you can require installing the Java2 plugin, but that's hard for 
the end user).  I was considering letting that requirement slip because so 
many Java developers seem to rely on Java2.

So maybe Java 1.1 (w/ AWT) + Jython is okay. So far, I have not found 
open-source candidates to build on which don't also require Java2, however 
(maybe I have to look harder).  Or maybe this means having to implement from 
scratch (I dislike this mainly because I'm "supposed" to be spending most of 
my effort on the server side :-) ).

So I'd still be looking for a Java 1.1 or Java 1.1 + Jython based rich-text 
editing solution, or library, or examples, etc. to start from.  Ideally 
Jython, of course -- I'm willing to learn a bit of Java, but I'm sure I'll be 
more comfortable with the Python parts.

Anyway, though -- returning to topic, is a C Python solution unviable?  Your 
defending the Java/Jython option suggests maybe you think so (and that was 
what I thought before).  I guess I already know the answer here -- but I was 
wondering if the challenge would pique anyone's interest, as it would be 
interesting to be proved wrong. :-)

Cheers,
Terry

--
Terry Hancock ( hancock at anansispaceworks.com )
Anansi Spaceworks  http://www.anansispaceworks.com