[josm-dev] JOSM Tested! [#3772 - Help browser calling external program]

Sebastian Klein bastikln at googlemail.com
Sat Nov 28 10:08:51 GMT 2009


Dirk Stöcker wrote:
> a) Security issues. When you launch an application you must be sure it is 
> really the right one.
>   
Isn't it similarly insecure to run binary plugins that are located in 
the user's home folder?

Btw., to address the memory problem, josm could exec itself on start 
with a better -Xmx... parameter... *ducks & runs*
> b) Installation issues. Java must be installed in a way, that you can 
> launch it.
>   
True, but shouldn't be a problem in practice. (There are java apps that 
are run by a script. They must have figured this out somehow.)
> c) Does not work in Webstart variant or as applet.
>
>   
That's a problem... How many Webstart users are there? One could simply 
redirect the help to a browser window for these people. (Or use modal 
help for webstarters only.)

>> from the ticket:
>>     
>>> Idea how to solve: Set help dialog modal and modal dialog non-modal
>>>       
>> when help from modal dialog is called.
>>
>> I think a modal help dialog is not so good, because users like to keep
>> it open in the background for future reference.
>>     
>
> But it is the only solution I can think of which works. And closing the 
> help dialog to continue is much better than introducing lots of design 
> trouble.
>
> Whenever we switch to Java 6, we can solve that issue with different modal 
> modes as supported by Java 6.
>
>   
Btw. may I ask what are the main reasons for using Java 5? (Other than 
support users that haven't updated their Java for 3 years.)

__

Basti




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