🚀 go-pugleaf

> 	Remember, last class Bill mentioned that he doesn't quite
> understand why applets should be allowed to open server ports? I think I
> might have an answer. In the case of iButton applets too, there should be
> some sort of listening by the applets once they are downloaded to the
> iButton. Although, they wouldn't have TCP ports for listening, they will
> have some equivalent I guess. Otherwise, how will they know that they are
> being selected by an application? 
         It is essentially equivalent but more OO in nature. They have 
specific methods which each applet has to implement. like select(),
deselect(), ..And the JavaCard Runtime Env. calls these methods when
the Host Application in iButton tries to communicate with the
applet.

> 	You can imagine a situation like that in your browser, right? You
> can download an applet in your browser, wait for other applications to
> connect to that, and then it can do some interesting things left to your
> own imagination. 
> 	Does that make sense?

       Conceptually it is very much similar. But the applet from iButton
cannot open connection to the host appliation or outside world which
is not the case with applets in browsers. Also since applets 
downloaded to the iButton are custom (in the sense the user installs
it himself mostly) they being a security concern because of 
opening "ports" becomes of far less concern ! But allowing applets
to open ports on browser enables many applications like multicast
audio/video conferences etc, news updates, scoreboards etc.

   

arunesh.