java applet vs ajax/javascript

[bobhope]

Am looking into replacing a web app and tasked with pros/cons of four technologies. 2 of them are dead ducks, leaving the choice between javascript/ajax type thing and java applets.

It has to support things like charts and generally look "cool" and integrate with a legacy java codebase.

Any ideas?

[chicane]

You might have difficulty generating "cool looking" charts with javascript and HTML. If you're going to use Java applets, your users will need the Sun Java Virtual Machine on their computers.

If your users are in a controlled environment where access to the JVM can be guaranteed, it's a no-brainer - go with Java. If not, you could cobble something together with Flash, and integrate with the Java codebase using XML based technologies.

[NoddY]

... and generally look "cool" and integrate with a legacy java codebase.

Any ideas?

Flash

[HankWangford]

Am looking into replacing a web app and tasked with pros/cons of four technologies. 2 of them are dead ducks, leaving the choice between javascript/ajax type thing and java applets.

It has to support things like charts and generally look "cool" and integrate with a legacy java codebase.

Any ideas?

http://www.softwarefx.co.uk

they have both .net/ajaxy charts and java also. The api is a bit of a mouthfull but the charts/Gauges look good.

Dundas also got a good rep, Sql 2005 Reporting Services makes use of it.

[buffdaddy]

Am looking into replacing a web app and tasked with pros/cons of four technologies. 2 of them are dead ducks, leaving the choice between javascript/ajax type thing and java applets.

It has to support things like charts and generally look "cool" and integrate with a legacy java codebase.

Any ideas?

why reinvent the wheel? Buy/download an off the shelf charting library/api/controls in whatever technology you normaly do webapps in (.net/php/java etc). It will save u a lot of time playing with UI and the client will save a lot of money too.

[bobhope]

We would of course use 3rd party wherever possible no matter which technology. Flash is one of the options, but unlikely to be chosen in the corporate env. Plus I have no experience of flash (particularly enterprise integration)

[buffdaddy]

look at these guys. I have used their winforms controls for charting, worked really well. They have this asp.net product which support script injecting so you an do client side javascript to make things a bit more cooler.

http://xceed.com/Chart_ASP_NET_Intro.html

[Joe Black]

Am looking into replacing a web app and tasked with pros/cons of four technologies. 2 of them are dead ducks, leaving the choice between javascript/ajax type thing and java applets.

It has to support things like charts and generally look "cool" and integrate with a legacy java codebase.

Any ideas?

Javascript/Ajax if done well. For charting stuff if you don't need real client side data mining/manipulation then all you might need is something like this...if you're running an MS shop.

[Cowboy Bob]

http://www.jfree.org/jfreechart/

HTH

[Joe Black]

Interesting alternative Cowboy Bob for those who, dare I say it, are not running MS kit.

Shame though that, like a lot of open-source type stuff, the presentation/usabilty leave something to be desired. The documentation being a case in point.

Apparently "if you are using Microsoft Internet Explorer, you may find that it does not render the above documentation in a readable form"