Components
Sources of JavaBeans components that you can use in Spin. This page is divided into two parts. The top part lists companies that make beans. The bottom part of this page lists web sites that have directories of JavaBean components.To add a new actor to Spin, simply drop the .jar file containing the JavaBean into the beans subdirectory of your Spin installation directory and restart Spin.
Makers of JavaBean Components
If you create any JavaBeans that would be generally useful, please let us know (at info@zat.com) so we can add them to this list.IBM / Taligent
IBM has a huge number of JavaBeans. They are the best source for beans supporting business applications, but they also have some really nice visual beans, beans for visual programming, and more.Alphaworks http://www.alphaworks.ibm.com/alphabeans
Visual Age Developer Domain
http://www7.software.ibm.com/vad.nsf/webdljavabeans?
OpenView&Count=5&TargetFrame=webdljavabeans
Apple Quicktime for Java
Apple's Quicktime for Java is only in beta release, and is still a little buggy. Nevertheless, Quicktime works great in Spin. There are (at least) two sources of JavaBeans that make it easier to use Quicktime in Spin: Elegant Chaos and Tiger Island.Sun Microsystems
Sun makes the HotJava HTML Component, an HTML browser in a component. See also the listing for Sun's directory of JavaBean components, below.ICEsoft
ICEsoft (unrelated to ICE Engineering) makes several really nice HTML browser components, which allows you to display HTML pages inside your application — it even understands Java! We have have tested ICE Browser 4 with Spin.Fractal Landscape Bean
Paul Moeller has a nice bean that generates random fractal landscapes.Rogue Wave
Rogue Wave has been selling components for as long as anyone. They have several interesting collections of Java components, including Studio.J, which contains components for building GUIs, spreadsheets, charts, and interfacing to databases.Directories of JavaBean Components
Warning: we have found that some of the free JavaBeans out there are buggy or do not properly conform to the JavaBeans specification, and so will not work in Spin. The most common problem is that they do not implement serialization properly.If you do find JavaBeans that you like and which seem to work properly, please let us know (at info@zat.com) so we can test them and add them to this page.
Sun Microsystems
Sun maintains a directory of JavaBeans. You should also read their JavaBeans site and the Java Developer's Connection. Sun's main Java site is http://java.sun.com.
Java Component 100
Java Component 100 is a "meeting place for first-rate, visionary, component developers throughout the world". Contains listings of JavaBean component developers and their products.
Giant Java Tree
The Giant Java Tree is a public domain project whose primary aim is to create a giant Java source tree consisting entirely of open source. http://www.gjt.org/.The Giant Java Tree was founded by Tim Endres, the president of ICE Engineering (unrelated to ICEsoft). ICE has free components (including source) for email, CVS, databases, and managing images.
Digital Cat's Java Resource Center
Direct from Japan, but they also have an English version. http://www.javacats.com/Cafe au Lait
http://sunsite.unc.edu/javafaq/ Lots of information about JavaBeans, including book reviews, free courses, and news.
