Netscape Proposes a New Standard for Communication Among JavaBeans, Objects

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Netscape Communications Corp. unveiled details of its new proposed model for using JavaSoft's JavaBean technology, and demonstrated a prototypical application based on the new BeanConnect model at the Netscape Developer Conference.

The model would let all Java objects in a BeanConnect program run in the same execution space in the Java Virtual Machine¹, and would allow direct communication between Java objects. Thus, Java objects embedded in different HTML pages could communicate and function together.

BeanConnect would also allow the multipage and multiframe operation within a single execution context within the Java Virtual Machine, and it would allow forms to be enhanced in appearance and capabilities. Finally, it will give programmers direct control of program objects and their lifetimes; when the last HTML page that contains a reference to a particular program object closes, the program is queried for permission to shut down, and developers can either allow it to shut down or not, at will.

To use the new BeanConnect program model, a Java program is implemented in one or more HTML pages by embedding an <OBJECT> tag in each HTML page. The CLASSID attribute of an object tag tells whether a Java object is a visual componnent used by the BeanConnect program, in which case, the CLASSID is "javabean," or is a Java program object that is used to start and run the BeanConnect porogram when a user opens the HTML page, in which case the CLASSID is "javaprogram."

The proposed program model has been proposed to JavaSoft, which has neither accepted nor rejected the proposal. If it is approved, support structures would be approved in future JavaSoft products, though not necessarily in the JDK. JavaSoft's JavaBean team member Larry Cable attended the presentation, which was given by Netscape engineer Emanuel Mashian, and would only say that people from the two companies were "talking about" the new model, and that it did not conflict with certain related JavaSoft initiatives and products. Netscape promises to post on the developer portion of the company's Web site a copy of a white paper describing the technology, "BeanConnect: Using Java Objects to Implement Crossware Programs." Many questions were answered by referring readers to the white paper, and at one point, at about 5:35, about half of the 40 or so developers present picked up the white paper and left the room early. The remainder stayed until the session ended, at about 6:00.

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¹ As used on this web site, the terms "Java virtual machine" or "JVM" mean a virtual machine for the Java platform.