Java SE 6 Update 10 is out

After a year of waiting and more than a million downloads of the beta (see Java SE 6 Update 10 is out but what does it deliver?), the long-awaited Update 10 is out.

The name makes it sound like a fix pack, but the list of changes is more like a big bang. The most important change is a new plug-in system for running and deploying applets better. It also has a hybrid mode where you can drag a running applet onto the desktop and use it like an ordinary desktop application.

• Improved reliability. The JVM running the applet is
   isolated from the web browser at the operating system level. If
   something should go wrong while running the applet, or if an
   uncooperative applet refuses to shut down, the new Java Plug-In
   detects and handles the error condition gracefully; the web
   browser is unaffected.
• Built-in JNLP support. The new plug-in offers the
   capability to launch applets directly from JNLP files, unifying
   deployment of Java content both in the browser and out of the
   browser (via Java Web Start). Developers can now reuse JNLP
   extensions for advanced functionality including the JavaFX run-time
   libraries, 3D graphics
   via OpenGL, and planetary-scale
   terrain visualization within applets. Applets can now access
   JNLP APIs for persistent data storage, local file system access,
   and other useful functionality from sandboxed code.
• Per-applet command-line arguments. JVM command-line
   arguments may be specified on a per-applet basis, providing
   fine-grained control over options such as the heap size and Java
   2D hardware acceleration features. JNLP-launched applets simply
   incorporate the command-line arguments and/or system properties
   into the JNLP file. Old-style applets can embed these arguments
   in the HTML of the web page.
• Multiple JRE version support. Each individual applet
   instance may request a different JRE version on which to run.
   This feature is designed for enterprise customers which prefer to
   qualify their applets against either a particular JRE version or
   a particular JRE family. Both selection of a specific JRE
   version, or any in a particular family, are supported in the new
   plug-in.
• Improved Java/JavaScript communication. The bridge between
   the JavaScript engine in the web browser and the Java programming
   language has been completely reimplemented. The new
   implementation is backward-compatible and features improved
   reliability, performance and cross-browser portability, for both
   Java calling JavaScript as well as JavaScript calling Java.
   Formerly Mozilla-specific “LiveConnect” functionality, such as
   the ability to call static Java methods, instantiate new Java
   objects and reference third-party packages from JavaScript, is
   now available in all browsers.
• Improved user experience. The new Java Plug-In starts
   applets in the background, so the web browser always remains
   responsive. Applets appear on the web page as they become ready
   to run.
• Improved applet lifecycle management. Calls to the applet
   lifecycle methods init, start,
   stop, and destroy are more
   deterministic and cross-browser behavior has been improved. The
   applet class loader cache and the legacy applet lifecycle,
   required for backward compatibility, are fully supported and the
   behavior of both has been improved.
• Better large heap support. Historically, the maximum heap
   size that could be specified for applets via the Java Control
   Panel has been limited. This limitation is fixed in the new Java
   Plug-In; applets can now utilize as much heap space as
   command-line applications.
• Better Windows Vista support. Signed applets running in
   Protected Mode Internet Explorer on Microsoft’s Windows Vista now
   have the same privileges as normal user applications, eliminating
   a portability barrier to this platform.

The groundwork for JavaFX is in place. The question is whether it’s too late. Sun ignored applets for a long time, and the technology has acquired a bad reputation in the meantime. We’ll see whether this revival gets anywhere.