The HotJava(tm) Browser is an Internet browser that allows you to easily explore the World Wide Web. Key features of the HotJava Browser are described in the HotJava User's Guide.

NOTE: Because this is a preBeta release, some of the HotJava 1.0 features are not yet completed, and there are known bugs. These features and bugs are outlined below.

This document describes:

• Changes Since HotJava Alpha3
• Planned and Requested Features
• Miscellaneous Items of Interest

In addition to these items, you'll probably want to read our lists of Known Bugs and Frequently Asked Questions.

Changes Since HotJava Alpha3

The preBeta1 version of the HotJava Browser is very different from the previous release (alpha3). In some ways it looks similar, but the underlying code has changed significantly. A few key changes to the HotJava Browser include:

• The HotJava Browser now supports FCS Java applets.
• The HotJava Browser has a new document-centric user interface. Almost all user interactions are contained on a document page, consisting of HTML, applets, and graphics. The document-centric user interface allows you to easily customize the look and feel by simply replacing the HTML pages, applets, and graphics.
• The HotJava Browser binary is available free for individual, non-commercial use. HotJava source code is no longer freely distributed. You can receive information about obtaining a HotJava source code license or commercial binary license at our JavaSoft Licensing page.

Planned and Requested Features

Enhanced HTML Support

HTML support that is not yet implemented, but planned for HotJava 1.0, includes support for tables, the ALT attribute of IMG and APPLET tags, the LEFT and RIGHT attributes of the IMG tag, and client-side image maps. Because tables are not yet implemented, Web pages with HTML tables in them will have odd formatting. We're working hard to fix this problem as soon as possible.

Scrolling Performance Improvements

A variety of performance improvements are planned for the HotJava 1.0 FCS release, notably for scrolling. Scrolling redisplay problems are being worked on as well.

Automatically Downloadable Content and Protocol Handlers

HotJava 1.0 will be able to automatically download new content and protocol handlers, but this is not implemented in the preBeta1 release. For this release, you can locally install new protocol and content handlers.

Improved Hotlists

A redesign is planned to improve the hotlists in HotJava. In particular, we are conscious of the need to provide some kind of hierarchical structure. Currently, you can import the hotlists from other browsers, but any hierarchy will be lost; the list will be flattened into a singular list.

As a workaround for this release, you can maintain the hierarchy of a hotlist from another browser as follows:

1. Save the hierarchical hotlist as an HTML file. Most browsers, including Netscape's Navigator, automatically save their hotlists (also known as bookmarks) as HTML files.
2. Instead of importing the HTML file into HotJava's Remembered list, open the saved HTML file in the HotJava browser.
3. Add the opened HTML hotlist to your HotJava Places Menu by selecting the Add Current to Places Menu item from the Places menu.

External Viewer Mapping

A user interface is planned for the HotJava 1.0 release which will allow you to easily map an unrecognized file type to the application you use to view that type of file.

KEEPALIVE Support

KEEPALIVE is an HTTP performance enhancement that keeps a connection to a Web server open while a page and all its components are being downloaded. Support for this (or its successor) is planned for HotJava 1.0.

Other features planned for HotJava 1.0 include:

• HTTP password authentication
• Keyboard accelerators and navigation
• Options to ignore backgrounds and text and background colors
• Delayed image and applet loading
• Ability to download and save images
• Master volume control
• Find feature enhancements
• Disk caching
• Text cut, copy, paste, undo, and clear
• Improved installation process

For a list of features that are frequently requested for HotJava, see the HotJava Requested Features list.

Miscellaneous Items of Interest

JavaScript Support

HotJava does not currently support JavaScript, but will at some time in the future.

JavaScript is a scripting language used with Netscape Navigator 2.0. JavaScript is currently not part of the standard HTML specification. Despite what one might think based on its name, JavaScript cannot be used to invoke Java applets.

Including HotJava System State in Bug Reports (Solaris systems)

To submit a bug report, use the form provided by the Submit a Bug item on the HotJava Help menu, or send email to hotjava-bugs@java.sun.com.

To help us better track down bugs, it is often helpful if you include the system state of HotJava when the bug occurs. To see the state on Solaris systems, type Ctrl-\ in the window that HotJava was started in. HotJava must be running in the foreground for this to work. If you started HotJava with the command hotjava&, the & put HotJava into the background. In this case, type fg to bring the HotJava process into the foreground before you type Ctrl-\.

For more information, see our Web page on how to Submit a HotJava Bug Report.