Unleash mobile agents using Jini
Mobile agents are ubiquitous in today's software applications—from e-commerce to network management to data warehousing. Mobile
agent developers implement these solutions in Java for several reasons: First and foremost, Java's built-in object-oriented
language features are conducive to agent technology. Second, developers can be extremely productive using Java. Essentially,
Java provides tools that simplify and expedite complex software development tasks.
Jason Byassee,
June 2002
The business case for Java: A primer for geeks, Part 2
While Java's momentum is making it the premier development platform
for enterprise software, developers often find themselves asking,
"How can I convince my manager that Java is the way to go?" With
legacy considerations, fourth-generation languages, and uncertainty
from those who would embrace Java all being factors, the business
case for Java needs to be well understood and relatively easy to
articulate by marketeers as well developers. In this second and
final installment of our series, Max Goff discusses Java and the
legacy, Java's momentum in recent years, and Java training -- all
from the business perspective. (1,700 words)
Max Goff,
February 2000
The business case for Java: A primer for geeks, Part 1
Java isn't just for geeks; it can also put a smile on any CFO's
face. While Java's momentum is making it the premier
enterprise-software development platform, developers are routinely
asking, "How can I convince my manager that Java is the way to go?"
With legacy considerations, fourth-generation languages, and
copious FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) both from those who
would embrace Java and those who would extinguish it, what software
developers see as the obvious solution might not look that way to
their managers. Hence, the business case for Java needs to be well
understood and relatively easy to articulate, not just by
marketeers, but by developers as well. (3,200 words)
Max Goff,
January 2000
Java in the management sphere, Part 3
Although a natural choice for developers in system and network
management, the Java platform has been relatively slow to mature,
providing neither a ubiquitous framework nor an abundance of
applications in that space. In the final installment of a
three-part series, Max Goff speculates on the future of management
applications and shows how the Java community is making strides
with Java extensions -- JMX, Jini and Jiro -- in this expanding
arena. (2,400 words)
Max Goff,
December 1999
Java in the management sphere, Part 2
The Java platform has been relatively slow to mature in the
management arena, providing neither a ubiquitous management
framework nor an abundance of applications in that problem space.
In the second installment of this three-part series, Max Goff takes
you through Java's short history and its emergence into the
management arena with two technologies: JMX (formerly JMAPI) and
Java DMK. (2,400 words)
Max Goff,
November 1999
Java in the management sphere, Part 1
From its inception, the Java platform has been a natural choice for
potential system and network management applications -- yet the
platform seems to have been relatively slow to mature, providing
neither a ubiquitous management framework nor an abundance of
applications in that problem space. In Part 1 of this three-part
series, Max Goff analyzes the issues Java faces in the management
sphere. In future installments of the series, he will discuss Java
technologies -- JMX (formerly JMAPI), Java DMK, Jini, and Jiro --
from the management perspective. (2,400 words)
Max Goff,
October 1999
Agents can think, too!
Despite the hype that often surrounds intelligent agents, there are
very good, very practical reasons why agents (especially mobile
agents) should be a bit more intelligent than your average piece of
software. This month, Todd explains why and shows you how to give
your agents a boost in IQ (via expert systems). (2,200
words)
Todd Sundsted,
October 1998
Agents talking to agents
No matter what a particular agent architecture provides, the one
ever-present feature is support for agent communication. This is
true because agents, by themselves, aren't very powerful. It's only
by working together with other agents that they become useful. In
this month's How-To Java, find out how to add
agent communication to the agent architecture you've been
developing. (1,800 words)
Todd Sundsted,
September 1998
Agents on the move
Mobile agents, the touring members of the agent clan, have as their
defining trait the ability to pack their bags and move on. They
needn't use this freedom for frivolous purposes, however. Their
mobility allows them to overcome several nagging problems that
traditional client/server architectures don't handle well. This
month, Todd Sundsted shows you why and how to mobilize your agents.
(2,000 words)
Todd Sundsted,
July 1998
An introduction to agents
Agents draw on and integrate many diverse disciplines of computer
science, and although agent technology has not yet hit prime time,
it is gathering its share of investment money. Find out what all
the uproar is about in this month's column, which examines agents
-- what they are and what problems they solve. Columnist Todd
Sundsted also shows you how to lay the foundation for a simple
agent architecture in Java, which you'll develop in upcoming
installments of How-To Java. (2,200
words)
Todd Sundsted,
June 1998
Agents: Not just for Bond anymore
Agents are no longer secret. But you may be wondering if agent
technology is just another cool buzzword or a valuable new systems
development model. This article defines agents and provides a
tutorial on how to create them in Java using IBM's Aglet Workbench.
(4,000 words)
Bret Sommers,
April 1997
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More action with Struts 2
In a recent review of Struts 2 in Action, JW Blogger Oleg Mikheev notes that Struts 2 is "just a collection of extensions built upon WebWork, which is ultimately
the right thing to learn before starting a Struts 2 project." While Struts 2 has some architectural flaws, Oleg calls WebWork
well-designed, well-tested, and reliable. What are your experiences using Struts 2 and WebWork?
Also see "Hello World the WebWork way," a JavaWorld excerpt from WebWork in Action, by Patrick Lightbody and Jason Carreira.