Is Client-Side Java Dead?

maverick2003 asks: "Just while I was thinking that client-side Java is well and truly dead, here comes along a project, a really large one to boot, that involves developing a 'rich Java based client'. While I'm sure that given the right resources and time-frame, this is certainly possible, I was wondering what kind of experiences the Java community has with developing large Java client side applications. Five years ago, Swing and Java client technology had light-years to go before matching up with native Windoze APIs. Getting Swing to do exactly what you wanted, was a guaranteed trip into pure hell itself, with all sorts of weird bugs and workarounds to deal with. The applications that I've developed since then uses VB/VC++ and will talk to a Java server. This has gotten much easier nowadays with SOAP libraries available for cross-platform stuff. Have things improved since then? If yes, by what degree?" What would you use as an example of a large-scale, real-world, high-quality client-side Java application?

Comments

Java is pretty mature

[ObviousGuy]

Sure, it's not popular or common on the client-side in either application or applet form, but it does exist.

Most operating systems ship with some sort of Java VM, you should be able to deploy wherever you want and expect at least some support.

Sure, it's neither as fast as true binary code nor is the GUI as pretty as native apps, but if you wanted those you wouldn't be thinking about Java in the first place.

Java is as dead as Perl on the client. It's dead to all those who don't use it, but for those that do, it's indispensable.