[2120] in java-interest
Re: inadequate base classes
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Arthur van Hoff)
Mon Sep 25 21:39:18 1995
Date: Mon, 25 Sep 1995 16:39:02 -0800 (PDT)
From: Arthur van Hoff <Arthur.Vanhoff@Eng.Sun.COM>
Reply-To: Arthur van Hoff <Arthur.Vanhoff@Eng.Sun.COM>
To: george@cii.StarPower.Com
Cc: java-interest@java.Eng.Sun.COM
Hi George,
> My company has been looking at using Java for
> a substantial project. The only reason I have found
> not to use Java is that the awt class does not
> meet my minimum needs. Those needs include
> assess to a second mouse button and to some
> function keys.
>
> I am sure that other potential users will have
> the same problems. My options appear to be:-
>
> 1. Have the Java team extend the awt class.
> Would be my best answer but could result in Java
> not being runable on all platforms. I am sure
> that I will not get this result.
>
> 2. Have the Java team provide the extensions I
> need in a way that they could be disabled by
> 'pure Java' applets, but enabled in 'contaminated
> Java' programs.
>
> 3. Put an extended awt class into the sun class
> tree. At least this would provide a standard
> for those who need the additional capabilities.
>
> 4. Build my own copy of the awt class. And so will
> many other programmers. I will get what I need,
> but at the cost of damaging the ability of
> developers to share code. WE NEED TO AVOID THIS
> IF WE CAN.
>
> What I really need is some comment from the
> Java team about these problems.
The right thing to do seems a combination of 1 and 3.
We need some additional functionality to implement the
HotJava browser and we are putting that in sun.awt.
I think that we'll at least add some function key events.
That seems reasonably easy to support on all platforms.
We can also add support for 1, 2 and 3 button mice as long
as there is some well defined way to invoke these from
a lesser mouse.
Have fun,
Arthur van Hoff
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