14 Java (LAN Mail Protocols)
Description
This article is from the LAN Mail Protocols FAQ, by John Wobus jmwobus@syr.edu with numerous contributions by others.
14 Java (LAN Mail Protocols)
Java is a programming language currently (1996) touted as a tool for
web-based applications. It can affect the use of LAN protocols in a
number of ways: first of all, POP or IMAP clients can be written in
Java, using its cross-platform development capabilities to create
version for a number of platforms. Second, clients could be written as
"Applets", i.e. applications designed to be downloaded into web
browsers such as Netscape from a server. With such a design, a user
would only need access to a web browser to see their e-mail, e.g. drop
into a library and see your e-mail from one of its Internet-browser
kyosks. Applets are not normally allowed to access the
client-machine's disk files (which would result in too much risk when
browsing the Internet from the kind of people who develop computer
viruses), so such an application fits a little better into the IMAP
model (server storage of e-mail folders) than the POP model (client
storage of e-mail folders). Thirdly, Applets enable more practical use
of e-mail clients that use non-standard protocols rather than POP or
IMAP; interoperability is achieved because the server itself
distributes a compatible client applet right when the user accesses
the server.
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