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Posted to commits@pivot.apache.org by gb...@apache.org on 2011/01/09 16:39:58 UTC
svn commit: r1056965 - in /pivot/site/trunk/www: faq.xml index.xml
Author: gbrown
Date: Sun Jan 9 15:39:58 2011
New Revision: 1056965
URL: http://svn.apache.org/viewvc?rev=1056965&view=rev
Log:
Update FAQ for 2.0 release.
Modified:
pivot/site/trunk/www/faq.xml
pivot/site/trunk/www/index.xml
Modified: pivot/site/trunk/www/faq.xml
URL: http://svn.apache.org/viewvc/pivot/site/trunk/www/faq.xml?rev=1056965&r1=1056964&r2=1056965&view=diff
==============================================================================
--- pivot/site/trunk/www/faq.xml (original)
+++ pivot/site/trunk/www/faq.xml Sun Jan 9 15:39:58 2011
@@ -26,29 +26,26 @@ limitations under the License.
<p>This section answers questions related to the Pivot platform.</p>
<h2>What is Apache Pivot?</h2>
- <p>Apache Pivot is an open-source platform for building rich internet applications in Java. It combines the enhanced productivity and usability features of a modern RIA toolkit with the robustness of the Java platform. Pivot applications are generally written using a combination of Java and XML, though they can also be written using other JVM languages such as Groovy or Scala, and markup is not required (user interfaces can also be constructed "by hand" using only code). They can be run either in a web browser using the Java Plugin or as a standalone, optionally offline, desktop application.</p>
+ <p>Apache Pivot is an open-source platform for building installable Internet applications (IIAs). It combines the enhanced productivity and usability features of a modern user interface toolkit with the robustness of the Java platform.</p>
+
+ <p>Pivot allows developers to easily construct visually-engaging, cross-platform, connected applications in Java or any other JVM language, such as JavaScript, Groovy, or Scala. Pivot is also the only truly open IIA framework: it is completely open source, and is driven entirely by the software development community.</p>
+
+ <p>Pivot enables developers to build solutions using the tools they already know, decreasing delivery time and reducing technology sprawl.</p>
+
+ <h2>What is an "Installable Internet Application (IIA)"?</h2>
+
+ <p>An "installable Internet application" is an application that takes advantage of the internet but does not require a web browser. A simple example is an email or IM client. A more sophisticated one is Apple's iTunes. Pivot and Java are a great alternative for building these types of applications, especially for projects that don't have the budget or resources to produce multiple native ports.</p>
+
+ <p>Note that, although it is not required, Pivot applications can still run in a web browser via the Java plugin. In this case, the "installation" is handled by the plugin, which downloads the application's source code and stores it in a local cache, whereas in most other deployment scenarios it is generally managed explicitly by the user.</p>
- <p>Like other modern development platforms, Pivot provides a comprehensive set of foundation classes that together comprise a "framework". These classes form the building blocks upon which more complex and sophisticated applications can be built.</p>
+ <h2>Why IIA?</h2>
+ <p>The web has become the defacto standard method for application delivery. However, functional requirements for many web applications have begun to scale beyond the capabilities of the browser. Even with the addition of scripting support, dynamic element manipulation, and asynchronous server communication, it is still difficult to create a user experience in HTML that is truly on par with that of a desktop application.</p>
+
+ <p>Installable Internet application development platforms are a means of bridging the gap between the web and desktop experiences. These platforms allow developers to build applications that offer the user experience of a desktop application but take advantage of services and data available via the Internet.</p>
<h2>Who is Pivot's target audience?</h2>
<p>Pivot was designed to be familiar to web developers who have experience building AJAX applications using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. However, it provides a much richer set of standard widgets than HTML, and allows developers to create sophisticated user experiences much more quickly and easily. Pivot will also seem familiar to Swing developers, as both Swing and Pivot are based on Java2D and employ a model-view-controller (MVC) architecture to separate component data from presentation. However, Pivot includes additional features that make building modern GUI applications much easier, including declarative UI, data binding, effects and transitions, and web services integration.</p>
- <h2>Why RIA?</h2>
- <p>The web has become the defacto standard method for application delivery. However, functional requirements for web applications have begun to scale beyond the capabilities of the browser. Even with the addition of scripting support, dynamic element manipulation, and asynchronous server communication, it is difficult to create a user experience in HTML that is truly on par with that of a desktop application.</p>
-
- <p>Rich Internet application (RIA) development platforms are a means of bridging the gap between the web and desktop experiences. Using browser plugins, these platforms allow developers to build applications that look and feel more like native desktop applications but are deployable via the web, like traditional, HTML-based web applications. RIAs also often incorporate visual effects intended to enhance the overall user experience, such as animations and other dynamic behavior.</p>
-
- <p><a href="http://www.adobe.com/products/flex">Adobe Flex</a>, <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/silverlight">Microsoft Silverlight</a>, and <a href="http://javafx.com">JavaFX</a> are arguably the most high-profile of these platforms; others include <a href="http://www.openlaszlo.org">OpenLaszlo</a> and <a href="http://www.curl.com">Curl</a>. Pivot itself falls into this category.</p>
-
- <h2>Why Pivot?</h2>
- <p>Pivot was created for two primary reasons:</p>
-
- <ul>
- <li><p>To provide a viable option for developers who want to build rich client applications in Java (or any other JVM-compatible language). Flex applications are written in ActionScript, Silverlight applications are built using .NET, and JavaFX applications are built with JavaFX Script. Pivot allows Java developers to build RIAs using technologies and APIs they already know.</p></li>
-
- <li><p>To provide a truly open alternative for RIA developers. While they may be open source to varying degrees, Flex, Silverlight, and JavaFX are still proprietary platforms that are driven by corporate objectives. Since its inception, Pivot was envisioned as an open-source project and is driven entirely by the software development community.</p></li>
- </ul>
-
<h2>Where did Pivot come from?</h2>
<p>Pivot began as an R&D effort in the Web UI group at VMware in 2007, and was released as an open-source project in June, 2008 under the Apache 2.0 license. Pivot joined the Apache Incubator in January, 2009 and graduated as a top-level Apache project in December, 2009.</p>
@@ -56,10 +53,10 @@ limitations under the License.
<p>Pivot applications run on any operating system with a Java Runtime Environment (JRE) version 6 or greater (though Java 6 update 14 or later is recommended). They can be run locally as desktop applications or via the web using the Java plugin or Java Web Start.</p>
<h2>How does Pivot compare to Swing?</h2>
- <p>While it is technically feasible to build an RIA in Java using the <a href="http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/uiswing">Swing toolkit</a>, Pivot offers a number of advantages that make it a more compelling, modern alternative:</p>
+ <p>While it is technically feasible to build an IIA in Java using the <a href="http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/uiswing">Swing toolkit</a>, Pivot offers a number of advantages that make it a more compelling, modern alternative:</p>
<ul>
- <li><p>Pivot provides an XML markup language called WTKX for simplifying user interface construction. Flex, Silverlight, and OpenLaszlo all offer a similar feature; web developers are comfortable with the markup metaphor, and it can considerably reduce overall development time.</p></li>
+ <li><p>Pivot provides an XML markup language called BXML for simplifying user interface construction. Other IIA platforms including Adobe Flex and Microsoft Silverlight offer a similar feature; web developers are comfortable with the markup metaphor, and it can considerably reduce overall development time.</p></li>
<li><p>Components are not limited to an "atomic" preferred size; they are allowed to report a preferred size as constrained by either width or height - this facilitates such features as label wrapping, which Swing does not support.</p></li>
@@ -80,9 +77,7 @@ limitations under the License.
</ul>
<h2>How does Pivot compare to JavaFX?</h2>
- <p>Pivot primarily differentiates itself from JavaFX by allowing developers to build applications in Java, rather than the JavaFX scripting language. Also, Pivot and JavaFX appear to be serving two slightly different use cases. Pivot is designed primarily to address the "Application" in "RIA", whereas JavaFX appears to be geared more towards the "Rich" part of the acronym. This isn't to say that the two are mutually exclusive - Pivot supports a variety of features for adding visual richness to an application. However, Pivot is first and foremost a tool for creating applications - animations and other effects are primarily intended to enhance the user experience of those applications, not serve as simple eye-candy.</p>
-
- <p>In short, Pivot represents what we think Sun should have done instead of JavaFX.</p>
+ <p>Pivot primarily differentiates itself from the current version of JavaFX by allowing developers to build applications in Java rather than the JavaFX scripting language. However, at the Java One conference in September, 2010, Oracle announced that future versions of JavaFX will be based on the Java language rather than JavaFX Script. JavaFX 2.0 is tenatively scheduled for release in late 2011.</p>
<h2>How does Pivot compare to the Google Widget Toolkit (GWT)?</h2>
<p>While GWT allows developers to use the Java language to write web-based applications, the runtime enviroment for a GWT application is the browser itself, not a JVM. This has a number of drawbacks:</p>
@@ -97,22 +92,22 @@ limitations under the License.
<li><p>GWT's native means of server communication, GWT RPC, is a closed protocol, which limits options for sharing back-end functionality. REST services are not natively supported, and SOAP/AMF services are not supported at all.</p></li>
</ul>
- <p>Pivot allows developers to efficiently construct RIAs that can truly take advantage of the Java platform.</p>
+ <p>Pivot allows developers to efficiently construct applications that can truly take advantage of the Java platform.</p>
<section>Features</section>
<p>This section answers questions related to Pivot features.</p>
<h2>Where can I find information on how to use Pivot?</h2>
- <p>Javadoc for Pivot is available <a href="http://incubator.apache.org/pivot/1.5/docs/api">online</a>, and a complete tutorial is available <a href="http://incubator.apache.org/pivot/tutorials">here</a>.</p>
+ <p>Javadoc for Pivot is available <a href="http://incubator.apache.org/pivot/2.0/docs/api">online</a>, and a complete tutorial is available <a href="http://incubator.apache.org/pivot/tutorials">here</a>.</p>
<p>Readers who want a quicker introduction to the platform may prefer to jump directly to the <a href="http://incubator.apache.org/pivot/tutorials/stock-tracker.html">final section</a> of the tutorial, which walks through the implementation of a simple but practical sample application called "Stock Tracker". Stock Tracker demonstrates a number of key features used by many "real world" applications, including UI markup, event handling, web queries, data binding, and localization, among others.</p>
- <p>Readers may also find it helpful to review the <a href="http://incubator.apache.org/pivot/tutorials/wtkx-primer.html">WTKX Primer</a>, which provides an introduction to Pivot's markup language, before browsing the tutorials themsevles.</p>
+ <p>Readers may also find it helpful to review the <a href="http://incubator.apache.org/pivot/tutorials/bxml-primer.html">BXML Primer</a>, which provides an introduction to Pivot's markup language, before browsing the tutorials themsevles.</p>
- <h2>Where can I find documentation on what WTKX attributes and styles a component supports?</h2>
+ <h2>Where can I find documentation on what BXML attributes and styles a component supports?</h2>
<p>Component attributes are simply the Java bean properties of the component class itself. Styles are the bean properties of the currently installed skin. So, you can simply refer to the Javadoc for the component to identify the supported attributes, and for the skin (generally either in <tt>org.apache.pivot.skin</tt> or <tt>org.apache.pivot.skin.terra</tt>) to identify the supported styles.</p>
- <p>How Java classes map to WTKX is discussed in more detail in the <a href="http://incubator.apache.org/pivot/tutorials/wtkx-primer.html">WTKX Primer</a>.</p>
+ <p>How Java classes map to BXML is discussed in more detail in the <a href="http://incubator.apache.org/pivot/tutorials/bxml-primer.html">BXML Primer</a>.</p>
<h2>How can I create a Pivot project in Eclipse?</h2>
<p>It is very easy to set up a Pivot project using Eclipse (the Pivot platform itself is actually built using Eclipse):</p>
@@ -122,7 +117,7 @@ limitations under the License.
<li><p>Add a lib folder to the project.</p></li>
- <li><p>Copy the Pivot JARs you need to the lib folder. At a minimum, you'll need pivot-core-1.5.jar, pivot-wtk-1.5.jar, and pivot-wtk-terra-1.5.jar. The contents of all the Pivot JARs are discussed in the <a href="http://pivot.apache.org/tutorials/platform-overview.html">Platform Overview</a> section of the tutorial.</p></li>
+ <li><p>Copy the Pivot JARs you need to the lib folder. At a minimum, you'll need pivot-core-2.0.jar, pivot-wtk-2.0.jar, and pivot-wtk-terra-2.0.jar. The contents of all the Pivot JARs are discussed in the <a href="http://pivot.apache.org/tutorials/platform-overview.html">Platform Overview</a> section of the tutorial.</p></li>
<li><p>Right-click on the project in Eclipse and select Properties. Click on Java Build Path.</p></li>
@@ -132,15 +127,17 @@ limitations under the License.
click OK.</p></li>
</ul>
- <p>You can now create your main application class (the one that implements org.apache.pivot.wtk.Application). The <a href="http://pivot.apache.org/tutorials/hello-world.html">Hello World</a> tutorial page discusses this interface in more detail and provides information on how to launch it in a browser or as a desktop application.</p>
-
+ <p>You can now create your main application class (the one that implements org.apache.pivot.wtk.Application). The <a href="http://pivot.apache.org/tutorials/hello-world.html">Hello World</a> tutorial page discusses this interface in more detail and provides information on how to deploy as a desktop application or in a browser.</p>
+
+ <p>An <a href="http://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/download/attachments/108483/org.apache.pivot.eclipse_2.0.0.jar">Eclipse plugin</a> is also available that simplifies the task of creating launch configurations for Pivot applications. When the plugin is installed, a Pivot application can be launched simply by right-clicking on the name of the implementing class in the source tree.</p>
+
<h2>How can I reference the Pivot source code in Eclipse?</h2>
<p>Assuming you have followed the previous steps for setting up a Pivot project in Eclipse, you can do the following to link the source code from the source distribution the libraries in Eclipse:</p>
<ul>
- <li><p>Expand the Pivot source distribution, available from the <a href="http://pivot.apache.org/download.cgi#1.5">Downloads</a> page.</p></li>
+ <li><p>Expand the Pivot source distribution, available from the <a href="http://pivot.apache.org/download.cgi#2.0">Downloads</a> page.</p></li>
- <li><p>In Eclipse, expand the Referenced Libraries node in the tree view and right-click on the library name (e.g. pivot-core-1.5.jar). </p></li>
+ <li><p>In Eclipse, expand the Referenced Libraries node in the tree view and right-click on the library name (e.g. pivot-core-2.0.jar). </p></li>
<li><p>Select Java Source Attachment. </p></li>
Modified: pivot/site/trunk/www/index.xml
URL: http://svn.apache.org/viewvc/pivot/site/trunk/www/index.xml?rev=1056965&r1=1056964&r2=1056965&view=diff
==============================================================================
--- pivot/site/trunk/www/index.xml (original)
+++ pivot/site/trunk/www/index.xml Sun Jan 9 15:39:58 2011
@@ -26,8 +26,7 @@ limitations under the License.
<p>
Apache Pivot is an open-source platform for building installable Internet
applications (IIAs). It combines the enhanced productivity and usability features
- of a modern user interface toolkit with the robustness of the industry-standard
- Java platform.
+ of a modern user interface toolkit with the robustness of the Java platform.
</p>
<ul class="stageBtn">
@@ -58,8 +57,8 @@ limitations under the License.
</p>
<p>
- Pivot enables developers to build solutions using the tools they already know
- and love, decreasing delivery time and reducing technology sprawl.
+ Pivot enables developers to build solutions using the tools they already know,
+ decreasing delivery time and reducing technology sprawl.
</p>
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