- Wire Protocols: Constricting and Fragile
- Objects on the Network
- The API Defines the Network Interface
- Late Binding Insulates Developers
- The Power of Write Once, Run Anywhere
- Capitalizing on the Simplifying Assumptions of Java Technology
- Objects on the Network
- Jini Technology Matters in Small Devices
- Summary
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
3.6 Capitalizing on the Simplifying Assumptions of Java Technology
Jini technology leverages many aspects of Java technology. This leveraging capitalizes on the Java technology simplifications which include making the network homogenous, checking and converting class types, not requiring Java technology on every device, not having to worry about byte order, and writing programs just once for many types of devices.
Java technology simplifications eliminate the burden of the mundane parts of software development for the programmer and make automatic checking part of the platform. It lessens the risk of introducing bugs due to the easy oversight inherent in routine programming tasks. The following list describes simplifications of Java technology in greater detail:
Makes the network homogenous: The devices on a network are heterogeneous by nature. Java technology is the equalizer, enabling all the disparate devices on a network to have a common API set.
Creates a uniform communications model using class type checking: Automatic class type checking ensures that the classes of two programs running on two different devices are compatible. This gives a uniform base of programming behavior among all devices on a network.
Converts complex class types automatically: The complex class types represented on one device are automatically converted by the Java technology layer. This advantage means that the developer does not have to worry about how one representation of a class looks on another device on the network. All devices see program classes, even complex class types, the same way.
Allows Java technology to be present somewhere on the network, not necessarily on every machine: For uniformity in communication, Java technology is key in enabling classes to interoperate. However, it is not necessary that the Java technology be present in all devices. The technology can exist somewhere on the network, and devices can access it by proxy.
Makes byte order unimportant: The byte order of data becomes unimportant with Java technology because the format of the data is abstracted below the _programming classes. The classes and their instantiated objects need not know whether the byte order of the underlying data is big endian or little _endian. Classes and their objects are concerned only with access to that data through common APIs.
Enables write once, run anywhere: With WORA, developers need not worry about porting applications or classes from one platform to another. The programs and classes written in the Java programming language work on other platforms.