Summary
To try these new features and to fully explore the JavaFX platform, I suggest you go to the JavaFX website. There you can run the many examples, examine the sample source, read the documentation, and download the latest JavaFX software. You can also find good tutorials on how to get started and learning the JavaFX language.
Once you start using JavaFX, I think you'll find that the language is powerful yet very concise. You'll be amazed at the things you can do with very little code. I have only discussed a few of the new JavaFX 1.2 user interface features—there's much more to the entire JavaFX platform. I hope that this overview will provide just enough enticement for you to start your own exploration.
Jim Clarke, is a principal technologist with Sun Microsystems and has spent the last 12 years developing with the Java platform. His new book, co-written with Jim Connors and Eric Bruno, is JavaFX: Developing Rich Internet Applications (also available in Safari Books Online and as a downloadable eBook.