Re: New Swing Library (JFC)

[phw <P.H.Welch@xxxxxxxxx>]

> The new Java Foundation Classes (codename Swing) strongly discourage the
> use of multi-threaded GUI programming. Quoting from one source
> (http://java.sun.com:80/products/jfc/swingdoc-archive/threads.html)

We have developed (actually Paul Austin, a third-year undergraduate at Kent
-- properly trained in occam priniciples -- has developed) a library of Java
AWT sub-classes that report all their call-back objects via JavaPP channels
rather than call-back methods.

This has only just begun to work.  I'm trying to get a demo application
ready for the WoTUG-21 conference showing how easy it is to design and
implement multi-threaded (occam) GUI codes using this package.  I believe
it is *trivially* simple to get the multi-threading right (because of
the occam model) ... my worst problem is the tedious hacking becuase of
all the Java superfluous verbiage in which it has to be embedded.

I've also got a Ph.D student (Nick Hollands, who wrote the `Singing'
philosophers KRoC demo whilst an undergraduate) at work back on the mocca
libraries for occam.  So, should be able to do these GUIs properly
in occam as well soon!

Cheers,

Peter Welch.