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If you're new to Web authoring, you're probably wondering "What is the deal with Java?" and "What can it do for me?" Well, Java (and its cousin, JavaScript) are programming languages that allow small programs (or applets) to run on your computer when you launch a Web site. If you've seen a page that featured some cool effect, like scrolling text, or a pop-up window, odds are you're
looking at a Java applet in action.
If you'd like to include such cool features on your site you have two choices. You may either learn how to write Java programs yourself (a tough task) or you can go to any one of the various sites on the Web that offer free Java programs. Below is a roundup of many of the best Java and JavaScript repositories on the Web. Many offer free Java applets, or cut & paste JavaScript, with instructions for including them on your site. Others offer tutorials for learning the languages.
A word of caution: despite all the hype, Java still has a ways to go before it becomes an essential part of Web authoring. If you include Java programs on your site, don't go overboard----many take a long time to load and,
worse, can cause a browser to crash (which is a sure way of ensuring that your visitors won't return to your site). On the other hand, if you use restraint (and good judgment) Java
and JavaScript can add a nice touch to your site, and perhaps even make it more useful for your visitors.
Please send us E-mail if you're aware of any such free Java/JavaScript sites that we haven't listed below or if you find a dead link.
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 The JavaScript Source
- One of the best, most informative resources we've seen on the Web for JavaScript. This site offers lots of "cut & paste" JavaScript examples for your Web pages. Source codes included. Examples includes background effects, buttons, calculators, calendars, clocks, cookies, equivalents, folder trees, forms, games, messages, navigational scripts, page details, password protection, scrolls, user details and much more.
- Dynamic Drive - This unique site offers plenty of free, original Dynamic HTML scripts and components to enhance your Web site. An emerging medium, DHTML is an advanced form of JavaScript that can really make your Web pages come alive (particularly if you have a new browser). Categories here include menus & navigation systems, document effects, scrollers, image effects, links & buttons, clocks, text animations and more.
 The Java Phone Book - Here's a must-bookmark site for anyone who's interested in Java. This hefty site serves up free applets, tutorials, free zines, forums and JavaScript resources. Applets here include counters, clocks, games, search engines, menu & navigational applets, music and sound applets, slideshows, scrollers & ticker tapes and text animations. There are also interesting applets for manipulating images to create cool effects.
- Nic's JavaScript Page - Good, varied selection of free cut & paste JavaScripts to liven up your site. There's also useful info here for helping you learn more about this object-based scripting language. Categories here include Beginning JavaScript, Intermediate JavaScript, cookies, colors, randomness, time and banners. Nic writes all this stuff himself. Tell him we sent you!
- JavaScript Corral - Lasso yourself some cool and useful free JavaScripts at this fast-loading, helpful site. Here, you'll find JavaScripts for pop-up images, mouse-over effects, clocks, scrollers, dates, menus and more. Just cut and paste the scripts you want. The site includes tuturials and instructions for implementing the scripts.
- The Javascript Library - Nice collection of almost 150 free JavaScripts, ready to cut and paste onto your Web site, and complete with instructions. Categories here include "Text," "Navigational," "Cookies," "User Info," "Image," "Sound," "Background Effects," "Time" and more. If you browse through this site, you'll almost certainly find something to enhance your site.
- JavaScript 4 U - A helpful Web ring focusing on JavaScript sources for Webmasters. Includes scripts for scrollers; clocks, pop-up Windows, games, dates, forms, buttons, background changes, animation, menus and more.
- LoonyVerse: Free Java Games for your Web Site - Here's a good way to give your site's regulars another reason to visit: free games in Java and JavaScript format that you can download in .ZIP format for inclusion on your page.
- Free Java Calendar - This is a Web-based calendar application that works in any Java-enhanced browser. No additional software is needed to use the calendar. This program allows Web sites to organize and maintain online events, product release, news, appointments, advertisement and online schedules.
- Freeware Applet FX - Offers an impressive, eye-catching collection of Java applets. This site offers a freeware version of its "Applet FX," package, which includes 20 applets and a "Visual Applet Configurator," a tool to help you customize the applets. (Note: you must have Windows to use the Configurator).
- Java Goodies
- A huge Java & JavaScript repository. Categories include calendars, clocks, calculators, scrolling text buttons, links and E-mail, color scripts, alert boxes and prompts, games, counters, and much more. The site also features tutorials. From five to 10 new scripts are added each week.
- Javascript Town - Here's a competent Javascript site, if you can get past the annoying password-only entry page. Free Javascript goodies here include alert scripts, clocks, welcome greetings, scroll bars, "jump to" scripts, color fade scripts, status bar messages and more. Javascript Town also offers free Perl and shell scripts. There's also info on learning about how to write your own Javascript codes.
- Java Machine - This popular site features "The Java Machine," which allows you to make your own custom, eye-catching Java applets for your Web site.
- Gamelan.com - A massive Java & JavaScript resource. Not necessarily a source for free Java stuff, although freebies abound here. This is a fun site to browse to learn about the eye-popping things they're doing with Java nowadays. This programming language has definitely moved beyond the "scrolling text" applets phase. Categories here range from business & finance to entertainment to special effects to educational stuff and games. And yes, they do have scrolling text applets. Lots of them.
- Java Video Decoder
- Here's a cool applet that displays video files. The client doesn't need to download the whole video file before watching it. The client communicates with a video server and, using a "sliding window" protocol, shows the video in real-time.
- Voodoo's Introduction to JavaScript
- There's no need to spend $40 on a book to learn JavaScript when you've got Web tutorial sites like this around. This is a good, thorough resource for learning JavaScript. Available in English and German.
- Java Developer Page
- Lots of free applets to add various cool features and effects for your Web site that you can download here. Documention included. Nice site offered in both English and Italian. This site also offers a Java painting program, in which you can "paint" in real time and then save your work in "The Gallery." Applets available here include "plasma effect," "Fire effect," and "Waving Flag" (34 nations supported.)
- Timothy's JavaScript Examples
- This well-designed, fast-loading site has long been one of the Web's best places to score some snazzy Java-stuff for spicing up your page. Here, there's over 100 working free JavaScript examples with the source made easily available.
- Cut'N'Paste JavaScript Web Site - This site (which requires visitors to use Netscape) contains over of 120 free client-side (no .cgi permissions needed!) JavaScripts for Web developers or folks building their own home pages. These scripts include picture puzzles, database searches, on-screen clocks and calendars, shopping days to Christmas, automatic sponsor rotators, screen color changers, URL country code selectors, calculators of all sorts, select form navigators, status line scrollers and other displays, animations and much, much more. The best part is not just that they are free, but that you can simply "cut" and "paste" them right into your HTML (for new Windows users, this means defining the text and then pressing "Control, C" to copy and then "Control, V" to paste). That's it. They are ready to run at your Web site immediately.
- Earthweb's Jars.com - One of the top two or three Java sites on the Web, this great site offers tons of features, from Java news to a section for Java developers. Some of the Java applets are free and are indicated as such. Java applets are rated by "Top 1 Percent," "Top 5 Percent," etc. Categories include business, multimedia, Web sites, financial, science, utilities, games, programming and WWW tools.
- The Pop Up Menu Java Applet
- This is a fully customizable Image Map applet with pop up sub-menus and interactive image displays. Quite useful and cool.
- JavaPowered.com
- Nice free Java site. Categories include: FX, games, image, text, utilities and more.
- JavaScript Planet
- Over 370 JavaScript examples available here. Eclectic variety; hours of fun browsing here.
- JavaScript World
- Lots of resources here: a discussion group, archives, a Q&A and JavaScript help.
- JavaScript Tip of the Week
- No longer updated, but still a useful resource, the JavaScript Tip of the Week archive is a collection of 30 coding tips with complete source code, working examples, and commentary.
Links last verified Dec., 1998. If you find a dead link or would like to submit a new link,
please send us an E-mail.
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