learning Java

[mrm@netcom.com (Marianne Mueller)]

I think that learning Java and having fun using Java (it is possible ...
and I speak as someone who doesn't think that programming is necessarily
fun in its own right) is orthogonal to the issue of learning and applying
the applet security model.  In other words, learning Java today won't be a
waste of effort when more sophisticated security schemes come online. 

I like Laura Lemay's book "Teach yourself Java in 21 days" and the
O'Reilly book "Java in a Nutshell."  We also have a tutorial online at
http://java.sun.com/tutorial/, and all kinds of programmer's documentation
at http://java.sun.com/doc/programmer.html

The applet security model is described on http://java.sun.com/sfaq/ [Yes
we know that more and better documentation is needed!] Anyone who wishes,
can get a full source release by faxing us a license agreement.  Source
isn't a substitute for documentation, but some people actually prefer
source to English.  See http://java.sun.com/licensing.html for details on
how to get the full source release. 

As other people have pointed out, applet security != internet security. 
Java is a programming language, and standalone Java apps can and do
implement their own security policies.  

I apologize in advance to Perry and others who will tell me that this
posting of mine isn't relevant to cypherpunks.   I won't do it again.  

Marianne
JavaSoft, Sun Microsystems Inc