Java

Coming up this month there is a Virtual Developer Day for Java where you can watch educational tutorials on Java SE, Java EE and Java Embedded. The three tracks offer a lot of varied information:

Java SE:

• 52 New Features in Java SE 8: A quick look at what's coming in the next big release.
• Application Development with JavaFX: Building JavaFX applications using Scene Builder and the JavaFX 2 API.
• Lambda Expressions: Bringing a more functional approach to the Java language.

Java EE:

• JSON 1.0 Presentation and Demo: A look at how to process JSON (JavaScript Object Notation - a lightweight data exchange format used in Web Services)
• WebSocket 1.0 Presentation and Demo: "This rapidly adopted network protocol that is a foundational piece of the HTML5 standard gives Java EE developers the ability to add efficient, asynchronous bidirectional messaging into their web applications, enabling them to make their web applications more active and engaging."
• Batch 1.0 Presentation and Demo: The first Java API standard for building batch applications.
• Concurrency 1.0 and Demo: Adding asynchronous capabilities to Java EE 7 applications.
• JAX-RS 2 Presentation: Looking at new features introduced into JAX-RS 2.0 for building web services.
• JMS 2 Presentation: Highlights improvements to the Java Messaging Service.

Java Embedded:

• Do you like coffee with your dessert? Java and the Raspberry Pi: How Java can be used on these hardware hobby boards.
• Unleash the Power of Oracle Java ME Embedded 3.3: The Raspberry Pi and the Keil Board: Delve into the Orcale Java ME Embedded 3.3 platform.
• Hacking with Java and the Raspberry Pi Tutorial:"a chance to see Java and JavaFX technologies running on a very accessible embedded platform, as well as learn tips and tricks on how to easily get up and running on the Raspberry Pi."

The date of the Virtual Developer Day changes depending on where you are watching from (remember to register):

Americas/Canada - Wednesday June 19, 2013

• 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. PDT
• 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. EDT
• 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. BRT

EMEA/Africa/Middle East - Tuesday June 25th, 2013

• 9:00:00 a.m. - 1:00pm BST
• 10:00:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.CEST
• 1:30:00 p.m. - 5:30:00 p.m. IST
• 12:00:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. MSK
• 08:00:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Corresponding UTC (GMT)

On Oracle's Software Security Assurance Blog, Nandini Ramani, Vice President of Java Client Development, has outlined how Oracle is addressing security concerns about Java.

From October 2013, the security releases for Java will follow the Oracle Critical Patch Update schedule. That's four security releases every year. (The currently scheduled dates for Java SE Critical Patch updates are 18 June 2013, 15 October 2013, 14 January 2014 and 15 April 2014).

Oracle has already taken steps to enhance security and give users more control with:

• enhanced security warnings when executing applets
• tighter security privileges for signed applets
• discouraging the use of unsigned or self-signed applets
• a new Java distribution called Server JRE for Java running on servers. It does not include the Java plug-in or auto-update. In the future it might not include libraries which are unnecessary for server use.

In addition, the Security Alert Program should see faster releases of unscheduled security fixes for severe vulnerabilities.

If you're new to programming with Java and have been struggling with the idea of objects have a look at Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming, Data Encapsulation and Designing and Creating Objects to get a feel for working with objects.

Related Articles:

• Accessors and Mutators
• Static Fields
• What Is a Package?
• Using Packages
• What Is Inheritance?

I received a question around the JOptionPane class so I might as well point you in the direction of some swing dialog box articles:

• Creating a Message Dialog Box - Part I looks at using the showMessageDialog method of the JOptionPane class.
• Creating a Message Dialog Box - Part II goes a bit further by looking at the showConfirmDialog and showOptionDialog methods.
• Building an Input Dialog Box shows how to use the JOptionPane to get some data from the user.

Related Code Examples:

• Make a Modeless Dialog Box
• How to Make a Password Dialog Box
• Simple Message Dialog Boxes Program
• Modeless Dialog Program
• Password Dialog Box Program

Java 7 Update 21 (and the corresponding Java 6 Update 45) has been released and the JDK is available to download from Oracle's Java download page.

Looking at the release notes this is a security fix release - see the Oracle Java SE Critical Patch Update Advisory for details.

The release notes also outline security changes made to the Java Control Panel's security settings and around warning dialogs to help the user make informed decisions about trusting Java applets and Java Web Start applications.

Although Java 6 Update 43 was supposed to be the last publicly available update to JDK 6 from Oracle, an additional public update has been released.

Java 6 Update 45 is a security update and if you look at the accompanying Oracle Critical Patch Update Advisory you will see it contains 42 security fixes. They match the fixes in the Java 7 Update 21 release.

The call for proposals for JavaOne 2013 is open until April 12*. So, if you have something worth sharing with the Java community now would be the time to submit your presentation idea.

The JavaOne 2013 tracks are:

• Client and Embedded Development with JavaFX
• Core Java Platform
• Edge Computing with Java in Embedded, Smart Card, and IoT Applications
• Emerging Languages on the Java Virtual Machine
• Securing Java
• Java Development Tools and Techniques
• Java EE Web Profile and Platform Technologies
• Java Web Services and the Cloud

Registration for JavaOne 2013 is open and until May 3 the Super Saver discount available. It's a saving of $400 on the pre-registration price of $1850.

JavaOne 2013 will be held in San Francisco from September 22 to 26, 2013. More information about JavaOne can be found on the JavaOne website and twitter.

*UPDATE: The deadline has now been extended to April 23, 2013.

There's an interesting article on the Oracle Technology Network by Björn Müller who discusses the decision to move the CaptainCasa community built front-end infrastructure from Swing to JavaFX.

He talks about programming fads, HTML5, what CaptainCasa needed to achieve from a business application point of view and how JavaFX presented itself as a good solution. It's a good read if you're thinking about developing with JavaFX.

Björn Müller is the founder and CEO of CaptainCasa Gmbh, a community of German software companies focused on client frameworks for large, long-lived application systems.

Here's some links to overviews of the classes for some of the most basic JavaFX controls:

• Label class - an overview of how to use JavaFX labels.
• Button class - using JavaFX buttons.
• TextField class - getting the user to input a single line of text with the JavaFX TextField control.
• ChoiceBox class - choosing options from a dropdown.

Related Articles

• Getting Started With JavaFX Using Netbeans
• JavaFX With FXML Using SceneBuilder and NetBeans
• JavaFX User Interface Controls Part I
• JavaFX User Interface Controls Part II

Now in its fifth year, the About.com Readers' Choice Awards honor the best products, features and services across more than a dozen categories, ranging from technology to hobbies to parenting and more, as selected by its readers. Additionally, for the first time ever, About en Espanol participated in this year's awards.

From the computing channel the winners were announced on categories for Web Browsers, Email, Macs, Office & Software Suites and Web Search.

To view all award 2013 Readers' Choice Award winners, visit the awards website.