News about Desktop applications using Java

Sun is preparing a new version of JRE/JDK (version 6, update 10) with very interesting new features. Some of them regarding to desktop programs using Java. Yes, we have to admit that Java is not so popular at desktop side like it is at server side. But I guess things can change. Check this out:

• Plugin deployment will be enhanced: this means that you will need to have only that part of java plugin that your application actually needs. Java runtime was never so large (considering what it does), but smaller downloads are always good...
• Improved start up: performance is a key item and cold start up (when VM is started first for the first time) can take precious seconds (consider the user experience). So, next version will use disk cache to avoid perform a full cold start when a user start an application.
• Graphics: enhancements like using Direct3D to acelerate most common operations. But what I really enjoyed was the new look and feel: Nimbus. I have to admit that I don't like ocean look and feel. So this is great news to me. And this new look and feel uses only Java 2D to draw its components, rather than using bitmaps. This means it can be drawn at any arbitrary resolution.

There are three ways you can try Nimbus look and feel (considering you have already downloaded and installed Java6u10)

1. Hardly coding: insert line below into your code
   

     UIManager.setLookAndFeel("com.sun.java.swing.plaf.nimbus.NimbusLookAndFeel");

2. Specifying

     -Dswing.defaultlaf=com.sun.java.swing.plaf.nimbus.NimbusLookAndFeel

on the comand line. Or

3. Adding the line below to the file JAVA_HOME/lib/swing.properties . This makes Nimbus default to your applications

     swing.defaultlaf=com.sun.java.swing.plaf.nimbus.NimbusLookAndFeel

Please check a Nimbus screenshot below:


Almost all information here is at java.sun.com