Java WebStart is the Sun's implementation of JSR specification that is called JNLP (Java Network Launching Protocol).

The goal here is to define a standard way on how to use in a secure way a client application from a website. The main plus of Webstart (in fact the JNLP Spec), is that it deals with both the setup phasis to help user and with the update process to ease developper time.

The Sun's implementation is provide with a basic client that help users to see what they have previously used and can offline reuse for instance (if they've not chose to create a shortcut icon for a direct access )

At this time more than 130 great applications (no this are no tictactoe stuffs) are offered on various sites. Repository such as http://www.up2go.net for example now try to list them with a nice rating system ...

It will be great that instead of the proprietary setup process that limewire will be JNLP complient. Any newbie could just setup "the greatest tool on earth" with a single click !

I'm having great time with webstart just because this is definitivelly a thing that should have been done long time ago ...


If you run on an OSX 10.1+ you will be happy to know that you are already webstart complient, thansk goes here to Apple !
As beegin Java based Webstart runs on various OSes ... and we also see that alternative implementatio of the JNLP spec are also arising !

Go webstart ;-)

-SkiRl