applet

World-Wide Web A Java program which can be distributed as

an attachment in a World-Wide Web document and executed by a

Java-enabled web browser such as Sun's HotJava,

Netscape Navigator version 2.0, or Internet Explorer.

Navigator severely restricts the applet's file system and

network access in order to prevent accidental or deliberate

security violations. Full Java applications, which run

outside of the browser, do not have these restrictions.

Web browsers can also be extended with plug-ins though these

differ from applets in that they usually require manual

installation and are platform-specific. Various other

languages can now be embedded within HTML documents, the

most common being JavaScript.

Despite Java's aim to be a "write once, run anywhere"

language, the difficulty of accomodating the variety of

browsers in use on the Internet has led many to abandon

client-side processing in favour of server-side Java

programs for which the term servlet was coined.

Merriam Webster "Collegiate Edition" gives a 1990 definition:

a short application program especially for performing a simple

specific task.

(2002-07-12)