Web 2.0: Next-Generation Communities With Rich Java Technology-Based Applications
TS-1375

Asynchronous JavaScript technology, XML (Ajax), Flash, and Web 2.0. These are some of the hottest buzzwords on the Internet today, but where is Java technology in all of this? Even though Java technology is the granddaddy of rich Internet applications, it seemed to have fallen by the wayside until only recently, with some of the more recent advancements to the Java language.

At Javalobby, we don't see Web 2.0 as being confined to the various browsers. Through rich services, we are able to bring the content from our network out of the browser and into IDEs, your system tray, and even your Tivo. This presentation focuses on the different applications Javalobby has designed to present Internet community information outside the browser, using the very latest Java technology. We intend to show the attendees how we tackled the complicated task of bringing a primarily web-based community to the desktop in ways beyond basic RSS. The session begins with a brief overview with code samples of the back-end code to connect each of our different interfaces with the network, primarily using the Hessian binary protocol. We will then focus on building the various interfaces for the rest of the presentation.

The first major topic we'll focus on is the advantage of having your community built right into your IDE. We'll then show how we were able to quickly build the interface as a set of plug-ins for the latest NetBeans release build, taking advantage of things such as automatic updates and Matisse. This portion of the presentation covers topics such as adding new items to the toolbars in NetBeans, integrating with other Javalobby members in the collaboration server, searching Javalobby from within your IDE, displaying alternative information from JDocs inside your code, and doing other integration with the IDE.

Even though we spend a great deal of time in our IDEs, we do still use computers for other things. We will show how we are using Java Web Start technology to connect you to the community for both live chatting with other users and the ability to browse content in a richer format than that allowed by a Web interface. This portion of the presentation focuses on how we used technologies such as JDIC, JDNC, and the Java 2D API to provide a rich interface to the network and provide insight on future possible enhancements such as a rich interface to competitions at JavaBlackBelt. Throughout this portion of the session, we will discuss the difficulties we faced in using the technologies mentioned above and how we were able to solve them and build a unique interface into the community.

Finally, even developers need to have some fun, and the Tivo provides the perfect outlet for a little relaxation and hacking fun. Because of its Java SDK and dashboard called HME, the Tivo provides an unusual medium for displaying content from the community. Near the end of the presentation, we will discuss a few of the basics of how to develop a Tivo application and then show you a demo of our homegrown Tivo application that accesses live Javalobby data.

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