Applet server that provides applets in various forms

• US 6,324,685 B1
• Filed: 03/18/1998
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Implicit, LLC (Edward Balassanian)
• Original Assignee: BeComm Corporation
• Inventors: Balassanian, Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Powell, Mark R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN BA, HOANG VU A
• Application Number:
  US09/040,972
• Time in Patent Office: 1,350 Days
• Field of Search: 395/705, 395/701, 395/200.33, 395/200.32, 395/188.01, 717/5, 717/1, 709/203, 709/202, 713/202
• US Class Current: 717/118
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44526 Plug-ins; Add-ons
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44589 Program code verification, e.g. Java bytecode verification, proof-carrying code high-level semantic checks G06F8/43; testing and debugging software G06F11/36
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

The present invention is an applet server which accepts requests for applets from client computers. A request specifies the format in which an applet is to be delivered to the requesting client computer. The applet server has a cache which it uses to store applets for distribution to client computers. If the specified form of the requested applet is available in the cache, the applet server transmits the applet to the requesting client. If the applet is not available in the cache, the server will attempt to build the applet from local resources (program code modules and compilers) and transformer programs (verifiers and optimizers). If the applet server is able to build the requested applet, it will then transmit the applet to the requesting client computer. If the applet server is unable to build the requested applet, it will pass the request to another applet server on the network for fulfillment of the request.

Claims

1. A method in a server computer for providing applications to client computers, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a client computer, the request identifying an application and identifying a form of the application, the identified form being one of a plurality of available forms;

in response to receiving the request,

generating the identified form of the application from another form of the application; and

sending the identified form of the application to the client computer; and

caching the identified form of the application so that when another request is received for the application in the identified form, the identified form of the application can be sent without regenerating the identified form of the application.

2. A method in a server computer for providing applications to client computers, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a client computer, the request identifying an application and identifying a form of the application, the identified form being one of a plurality of available forms; and

in response to receiving the request,

when the server computer does not have the application in the other form, requesting the application in the other form from a computer other than the server computer;

generating the identified form of the application from another form of the application; and

sending the identified form of the application to the client computer.

3. A method in a server computer for providing applications to client computers, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a client computer, the request identifying an application and identifying a form of the application, the identified form being one of a plurality of available forms; and

in response to receiving the request,

generating the identified form of the application from another form of the application including when the server computer does not have the identified form of the application, requesting the application in the other form from a computer other than the server computer; and

sending the identified form of the application to the client computer.

4. A method in a server computer for providing applications to client computers, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a client computer, the request identifying an application and identifying a form of the application, the identified form being one of a plurality of available forms; and

in response to receiving the request,

generating the identified form of the application from another form of the application; and

sending the identified form of the application to the client computer

wherein the identified form is an intermediate form.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the intermediate form is Java byte code.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the intermediate form can be interpreted by an interpreter executing on the client computer.

7. A method in a server computer for providing applications to client computers, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a client computer, the request identifying an application and identifying a form of the application, the identified form being one of a plurality of available forms; and

in response to receiving the request,

generating the identified form of the application from another form of the application; and

sending the identified form of the application to the client computer

wherein the identified form is a target form.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the target form is directly executable by a processor of the client computer.

9. A method in a server computer for providing applications to client computers, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a client computer, the request identifying an application and identifying a form of the application, the identified form being one of a plurality of available forms; and

in response to receiving the request,

generating the identified form of the application from another form of the application; and

sending the identified form of the application to the client computer

wherein the other form is a source form.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the source form is Java source.

11. A method in a server computer for providing applications to client computers, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a client computer, the request identifying an application and identifying a form of the application, the identified form being one of a plurality of available forms; and

in response to receiving the request,

transforming the application into a transformed form;

generating the identified form of the application from the transformed form of the application; and

sending the identified form of the application to the client computer.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the transforming is verifying the application.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the transforming is optimizing the application.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the transforming is compressing the application.

15. A method in a server computer for providing applications to client computers, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a client computer, the request identifying an application and identifying a form of the application, the identified form being one of a plurality of available forms; and

in response to receiving the request,

generating the identified form of the application from another form of the application and caching the generated identified form so that when the identified form of the application has been stored in a cache, the identified form of the application is retrieved from the cache; and

sending the identified form of the application retrieved from the cache to the client computer.

16. A method in a server computer for providing applications to client computers, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a client computer, the request identifying an application and identifying a form of the application, the identified form being one of a plurality of available forms; and

in response to receiving the request,

generating the identified form of the application from another form of the application; and

sending the identified form of the application to the client computer

wherein the application is a portion of a larger application.

17. A method in a server computer for providing applications to client computers, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a client computer, the request identifying an application and identifying a form of the application, the identified form being one of a plurality of available forms; and

in response to receiving the request,

generating the identified form of the application from another form of the application; and

sending the identified form of the application to the client computer

wherein the server computer functions as a loader for the client computer.

18. A method in a server computer for providing applications to client computers, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a client computer, the request identifying an application and identifying a form of the application, the identified form being one of a plurality of available forms; and

in response to receiving the request,

generating the identified form of the application from another form of the application; and

sending the identified form of the application to the client computer wherein the application is an applet.

19. A method in a server computer for providing applications to client computers, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a client computer, the request identifying an application and identifying a form of the application, the identified form being one of a plurality of available forms; and

in response to receiving the request,

generating the identified form of the application from another form of the application; and

sending the identified form of the application to the client computer

wherein the application includes modules, wherein the generating includes generating of modules of the identified form, and wherein the generating includes combining modules of the identified form that were previously generated with modules of the identified form that are generated in response to receiving the request.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the modules of the identified form that were previously generated are retrieved from a cache.

21. A method in a server computer for providing applications to client computers, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a client computer, the request identifying an application and identifying a form of the application, the identified form being one of a plurality of available forms; and

in response to receiving the request,

generating the identified form of the application from another form of the application;

after generating the identified form of the application, storing the identified form of the application in a cache; and

sending the identified form of the application to the client computer.

22. The method of claim 21 including in response to receiving a flush request, removing the identified form of the application from the cache.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the flush request is received from a computer other than the server computer.

24. The method of claim 21 including storing a time to live indicator with the stored identified form of the application.

25. A method in a server computer for providing applications to client computers, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a client computer, the request identifying an application and identifying a form of the application, the identified form being one of a plurality of available forms; and

in response to receiving the request,

transforming an intermediate form of the application into a transformed version of the intermediate form of the application;

generating the identified form of the application from the transformed version of the intermediate form of the application; and

sending the identified form of the application to the client computer.

26. A method in a server computer for providing applications to client computers, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a client computer, the request identifying an application and identifying a form of the application, the identified form being one of a plurality of available forms; and

in response to receiving the request,

verifying the application;

generating the identified form of the application from the verified application; and

sending the identified form of the application to the client computer.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the verifying is specified by the client computer.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the verifying is specified by another computer.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein the verifying is specified by the server computer.

30. The method of claim 26 including receiving a verifier from the client computer.

31. The method of claim 30 including sending to the client computer a handle for the verifier so that the client computer can subsequently identify the verifier to the server computer.

32. A method in a server computer for providing applications to client computers, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a client computer, the request identifying an application and identifying a form of the application, the identified form being one of a plurality of available forms;

transforming the application that is identified in the request using a common transformation;

in response to receiving the request,

generating the identified form of the application from the transformed application; and

sending the identified form of the application to the client computer.

33. A method in a server computer for providing applications to client computers, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a client computer, the request identifying an application and identifying a form of the application, the identified form being one of a plurality of available forms; and

in response to receiving the request,

generating the identified form of the application from another form of the application; and

sending the identified form of the application to the client computer

wherein the identified form indicates a processor of the client computer.

34. A method in a client computer for retrieving an application in an identified form, the method comprising:

sending to a server computer a request that identifies an application and identifies a form of the application, the identified form being one of a plurality of available forms; and

in response to sending the request, receiving from the server computer the identified form of the application wherein the server computer generated the identified form of the application from another form of the application in response to receiving the request from the client computer

wherein after the server computer generated the identified form of the application, the server computer stored the identified form of the application in a cache so that when another request is received for the identified form of the application, the server computer can retrieve the identified form of the application without regenerating the identified form of the application.

40. The method of claim 34 wherein the target form is directly executable by a processor of the client computer.

35. A method in a client computer for retrieving an application in an identified form, the method comprising:

sending to a server computer a request that identifies an application and identifies a form of the application, the identified form being one of a plurality of available forms; and

in response to sending the request, receiving from the server computer the identified form of the application wherein the server computer generated the identified form of the application from another form of the application in response to receiving the request from the client computer wherein when the server computer does not have the application in the other form, the server computer requests the other form of the application from a computer other than the server computer.

36. A method in a client computer for retrieving an application in an identified form, the method comprising:

sending to a server computer a request that identifies an application and identifies a form of the application, the identified form being one of a plurality of available forms; and

in response to sending the request, receiving from the server computer the identified form of the application wherein the server computer generated the identified form of the application from another form of the application in response to receiving the request from the client computer; and

wherein the identified form is an intermediate form.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the intermediate form is Java byte code.

38. The method of claim 36 wherein the intermediate form can be interpreted by an interpreter executing on the client computer.

39. A method in a client computer for retrieving an application in an identified form, the method comprising:

sending to a server computer a request that identifies an application and identifies a form of the application, the identified form being one of a plurality of available forms; and

in response to sending the request, receiving from the server computer the identified form of the application wherein the server computer generated the identified form of the application from another form of the application in response to receiving the request from the client computer

wherein the identified form is a target form.

41. A method in a client computer for retrieving an application in an identified form, the method comprising:

sending to a server computer a request that identifies an application and identifies a form of the application, the identified form being one of a plurality of available forms; and

in response to sending the request, receiving from the server computer the identified form of the application wherein the server computer generated the identified form of the application from another form of the application in response to receiving the request from the client computer

wherein the other form is a source form.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein the source form is Java source.

43. A method in a client computer for retrieving an application in an identified form, the method comprising:

sending to a server computer a request that identifies an application and identifies a form of the application, the identified form being one of a plurality of available forms; and

in response to sending the request, receiving from the server computer the identified form of the application wherein the server computer generated the identified form of the application from another form of the application in response to receiving the request from the client computer

wherein the server computer transforms the application before generating the identified form the application.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein the transforming is verifying the application.

45. The method of claim 43 wherein the transforming is optimizing the application.

46. The method of claim 43 wherein the transforming is compressing the application.

47. A method in a client computer for retrieving an application in an identified form, the method comprising:

sending to a server computer a request that identifies an application and identifies a form of the application, the identified form being one of a plurality of available forms; and

in response to sending the request, receiving from the server computer the identified form of the application wherein the server computer generated the identified form of the application from another form of the application in response to receiving the request from the client computer

wherein the server computer caches the identified form of the application and wherein the server computer subsequently retrieves the identified form of the application from the cache, rather than generating the identified form of the application.

48. A method in a client computer for retrieving an application in an identified form, the method comprising:

sending to a server computer a request that identifies an application and identifies a form of the application, the identified form being one of a plurality of available forms; and

in response to sending the request, receiving from the server computer the identified form of the application wherein the server computer generated the identified form of the application from another form of the application in response to receiving the request from the client computer

wherein the application is a portion of a larger application.

49. A method in a client computer for retrieving an application in an identified form, the method comprising:

sending to a server computer a request that identifies an application and identifies a form of the application, the identified form being one of a plurality of available forms; and

in response to sending the request, receiving from the server computer the identified form of the application wherein the server computer generated the identified form of the application from another form of the application in response to receiving the request from the client computer

wherein the application is an applet.

50. A method in a client computer for retrieving an application in an identified form, the method comprising:

sending to a server computer a request that identifies an application and identifies a form of the application, the identified form being one of a plurality of available forms; and

in response to sending the request, receiving from the server computer the identified form of the application wherein the server computer generated the identified form of the application from another form of the application in response to receiving the request from the client computer wherein the application includes modules, wherein the server computer generates modules of the identified form, and wherein the server computer combines modules of the identified form that were previously generated with modules of the identified form that are generated in response to receiving the request.

51. The method of claim 50 wherein the modules of the identified form that were previously generated are retrieved by the server computer from a cache.

52. A method in a client computer for retrieving an application in an identified form, the method comprising:

sending to a server computer a request that identifies an application and identifies a form of the application, the identified form being one of a plurality of available forms; and

in response to sending the request, receiving from the server computer the identified form of the application wherein the server computer generated the identified form of the application from another form of the application in response to receiving the request from the client computer

wherein the request includes an indication to verify the application.

53. The method of claim 52 including sending a verifier from the client computer to the server computer.

54. A method in a client computer for retrieving an application in an identified form, the method comprising:

sending to a server computer a request that identifies an application and identifies a form of the application, the identified form being one of a plurality of available forms; and

in response to sending the request, receiving from the server computer the identified form of the application wherein the server computer generated the identified form of the application from another form of the application in response to receiving the request from the client computer

wherein the server computer transforms each application using a common transformation.

55. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a server computer to provide applets to client computers, by a method comprising:

receiving requests from client computers, each request identifying an applet and identifying a form of the applet, the identified form being one of a plurality of possible compiled forms of the applet; and

in response to receiving a request, using a compiler to compile the identified form of the applet from an un-compiled form of the applet and sending the identified form of the applet to the client computer that sent the request; and

caching the identified form of the applet so that when another request is received for the same applet in the identified form, the identified form of the applet can be sent without recompiling the identified form of the applet

whereby requests of different client computers identify different forms of the same applet.

56. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a server computer to provide applets to client computers, by a method comprising:

receiving requests from client computers, each request identifying an applet and identifying a form of the applet, the identified form being one of a plurality of possible compiled forms of the applet; and

in response to receiving the request,

when the server computer does not have the applet in the un-compiled form, requesting the applet in the un-compiled form from a computer other than the server computer;

using a compiler to compile the identified form of the applet from the un-compiled form of the applet; and

sending the identified form of the applet to the client computer that sent the request

whereby requests of different client computers identify different forms of the same applet.

57. The computer-readable medium of claim 56 wherein the other computer is accessible via the Internet.

58. The computer-readable medium of claim 56 wherein the server computer and client computer are connected to a local area network and the server computer and the other computer are connected via the Internet.

59. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a server computer to provide applets to client computers, by a method comprising:

receiving requests from client computers, each request identifying an applet and identifying a form of the applet, the identified form being one of a plurality of possible compiled forms of the applet; and

in response to receiving a request, using a compiler to compile the identified form of the applet from an un-compiled form of the applet and sending the identified form of the applet to the client computer that sent the request

wherein the applet is part of a web page and whereby requests of different client computers identify different forms of the same applet.

60. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a server computer to provide applets to client computers, by a method comprising:

receiving requests from client computers, each request identifying an applet and identifying a form of the applet, the identified form being one of a plurality of possible compiled forms of the applet; and

in response to receiving a request, using a compiler to compile the identified form of the applet from an un-compiled form of the applet and sending the identified form of the applet to the client computer that sent the request

wherein the un-compiled form is an intermediate form and whereby requests of different client computers identify different forms of the same applet.

61. The computer-readable medium of claim 60 wherein the intermediate form is Java byte code.

62. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a server computer to provide applets to client computers, by a method comprising:

receiving requests from client computers, each request identifying an applet and identifying a form of the applet, the identified form being one of a plurality of possible compiled forms of the applet; and

in response to receiving a request, using a compiler to compile the identified form of the applet from an un-compiled form of the applet and sending the identified form of the applet to the client computer that sent the request

wherein the identified form is directly executable by a processor of the client computer that sent the request and whereby requests of different client computers identify different forms of the same applet.

63. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a server computer to provide applets to client computers, by a method comprising:

receiving requests from client computers, each request identifying an applet and identifying a form of the applet, the identified form being one of a plurality of possible compiled forms of the applet; and

in response to receiving a request, using a compiler to compile the identified form of the applet from an un-compiled form of the applet and sending the identified form of the applet to the client computer that sent the request

wherein the un-compiled form is a source form and whereby requests of different client computers identify different forms of the same applet.

64. The computer-readable medium of claim 63 wherein the source form is Java source.

65. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a server computer to provide applets to client computers, by a method comprising:

receiving requests from client computers, each request identifying an applet and identifying a form of the applet, the identified form being one of a plurality of possible compiled forms of the applet; and

in response to receiving a request, transforming an un-compiled form of the applet, compiling using a compiler the identified form of the applet from the transformed, un-compiled form of the applet, and sending the identified form of the applet to the client computer that sent the request

whereby requests of different client computers identify different forms of the same applet.

66. The computer-readable medium of claim 65 wherein the transforming is verifying the applet.

67. The computer-readable medium of claim 65 wherein the transforming is optimizing the applet.

68. The computer-readable medium of claim 65 wherein the transforming is compressing the applet.

69. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a server computer to provide applets to client computers, by a method comprising:

receiving requests from client computers, each request identifying an applet and identifying a form of the applet, the identified form being one of a plurality of possible

compiled forms of the applet;

in response to receiving a request, using a compiler to compile the identified form of the applet from an un-compiled form of the applet and sending the identified form of the applet to the client computer that sent the request;

storing the identified form of the applet in a cache so that when another request is retrieved, the server computer retrieves the identified form of the applet from the cache and sends the identified form of the applet retrieved from the cache to the client computer

whereby requests of different client computers identify different forms of the same applet.

70. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a server computer to provide applets to client computers, by a method comprising:

receiving requests from client computers, each request identifying an applet and identifying a form of the applet, the identified form being one of a plurality of possible compiled forms of the applet; and

in response to receiving a request, using a compiler to compile the identified form of the applet from an un-compiled form of the applet and sending the identified form of the applet to the client computer that sent the request

wherein the applet is a portion of a computer program and whereby requests of different client computers identify different forms of the same applet.

71. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a server computer to provide applets to client computers, by a method comprising:

receiving requests from client computers, each request identifying an applet and identifying a form of the applet, the identified form being one of a plurality of possible compiled forms of the applet; and

in response to receiving a request, using a compiler to compile the identified form of the applet from an un-compiled form of the applet and sending the identified form of the applet to the client computer that sent the request

wherein the server computer functions as a loader for the client computer and whereby requests of different client computers identify different forms of the same applet.

72. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a server computer to provide applets to client computers, by a method comprising:

receiving requests from client computers, each request identifying an applet and identifying a form of the applet, the identified form being one of a plurality of possible compiled forms of the applet;

in response to receiving a request, using a compiler to compile the identified form of the applet from an un-compiled form of the applet and sending the identified form of the applet to the client computer that sent the request

wherein the applet includes multiple modules, wherein the server computer generates a module of the identified form, and wherein the server computer compiles one of the modules into the identified form in response to receiving the request and whereby requests of different client computers identify different forms of the same applet.

73. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a server computer to provide applets to client computers, by a method comprising:

receiving requests from client computers, each request identifying an applet and identifying a form of the applet, the identified form being one of a plurality of possible compiled forms of the applet;

in response to receiving, using a compiler to compile the identified form of the applet from an un-compiled form of the applet and sending the identified form of the applet to the client computer that sent the request; and

after generating the identified form of the applet, storing the identified form of the applet in a cache

whereby requests of different client computers identify different forms of the same applet.

74. The computer-readable medium of claim 73 including in response to receiving a flush request, removing the identified form of the applet from the cache.

75. The computer-readable medium of claim 74 wherein the flush request is received from a computer other than the server computer.

76. The computer-readable medium of claim 73 including a storing time to live indicator with the stored identified form of the applet.

77. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a server computer to provide applets to client computers, by a method comprising:

receiving requests from client computers, each request identifying an applet and identifying a form of the applet, the identified form being one of a plurality of possible compiled forms of the applet;

in response to receiving a request, transforming an intermediate form of the applet into a transformed version of the intermediate form of the applet and compiling using a compiler the identified form of the applet from the transformed intermediate form of the applet and sending the identified form of the applet to the client computer that sent the request; and

whereby requests of different client computers identify different forms of the same applet.

78. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a server computer to provide applets to client computers, by a method comprising:

receiving requests from client computers, each request identifying an applet and identifying a form of the applet, the identified form being one of a plurality of possible compiled forms of the applet, a request including a verifier sent from the client computer for use in verifying the applet; and

in response to receiving a request, using a compiler to compile the identified form of the applet from an un-compiled form of the applet and sending the identified form of the applet to the client computer that sent the request

whereby requests of different client computers identify different forms of the same applet.

79. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a server computer to provide applets to client computers, by a method comprising:

receiving requests from client computers, each request identifying an applet and identifying a form of the applet, the identified form being one of a plurality of possible compiled forms of the applet; and

in response to receiving a request, transforming each applet that is identified in a request using a common transformation, compiling using a compiler the identified form of the applet from the transformed form of the applet, and sending the identified form of the applet to the client computer that sent the request

whereby requests of different client computers identify different forms of the same applet.

80. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a server computer to provide applets to client computers, by a method comprising:

receiving requests from client computers, each request identifying an applet and identifying a form of the applet, the identified form being one of a plurality of possible compiled forms of the applet; and

in response to receiving a request, using a compiler to compile the identified form of the applet from an un-compiled form of the applet and sending the identified form of the applet to the client computer that sent the request;

wherein the identified form indicates a processor of the client computer

whereby requests of different client computers identify different forms of the same applet.

81. A server computer for providing applets in a plurality of forms, comprising:

means for receiving from client computers requests for applets, each request identifying a form of the applet;

means for retrieving the applet identified in a request, the retrieved applet being in a form other than the form identified in the request;

means for generating the identified form of the applet from the retrieved other form of the applet after receiving the request;

means for sending the identified form of the applet to the client computer that requested the applet; and

means for caching the identified form of the applet so that when another request is received for the same applet in the identified form, the identified form of the applet can be sent without regenerating the identified form of the applet.

82. A server computer for providing applets in a plurality of forms, comprising:

means for receiving from client computers requests for applets, each request identifying a form of the applet;

means for retrieving the applet identified in a request, the retrieved applet being in a form other than the form identified in the request;

means for generating the identified form of the applet from the retrieved other form of the applet after receiving the request;

means for sending the identified form of the applet to the client computer that requested the applet; and

means for when the server computer does not have the applet in the other form, requesting the other form of the applet from a computer other than the server computer.

83. The server computer of claim 82 wherein the other computer is accessible via the Internet.

84. The server computer of claim 82 wherein the server computer and client computer are connected to a local area network and the server and the other computer are connected via the Internet.

85. A server computer for providing applets in a plurality of forms, comprising:

means for receiving from client computers requests for applets, each request identifying a form of the applet;

means for retrieving the applet identified in a request, the retrieved applet being in a form other than the form identified in the request;

means for generating the identified form of the applet from the retrieved other form of the applet after receiving the request; and

means for sending the identified form of the applet to the client computer that requested the applet

wherein the applet is part of a web page.

86. A server computer for providing applets in a plurality of forms, comprising:

means for receiving from client computers requests for applets, each request identifying a form of the applet;

means for retrieving the applet identified in a request, the retrieved applet being in a form other than the form identified in the request;

means for generating the identified form of the applet from the retrieved other form of the applet after receiving the request;

means for sending the identified form of the applet to the client computer that requested the applet; and

means for transforming the applet before generating the identified form of the applet.

87. The server computer of claim 86 wherein the transforming is verifying the applet.

88. A server computer for providing applets in a plurality of forms, comprising:

means for receiving from client computers requests for applets, each request identifying a form of the applet;

means for retrieving the applet identified in a request, the retrieved applet being in a form other than the form identified in the request,

means for generating the identified form of the applet from the retrieved other form of the applet after receiving the request;

means for sending the identified form of the applet to the client computer that requested the applet; and

means for, rather than generating the identified form of the applet, retrieving the identified form of the applet from a cache.

89. A computer-readable medium containing a data structure, the data structure including a request generated by a client computer, the request identifying an applet and identifying a form of the identified applet, the identified form being one of a plurality of compiled forms of the identified applet wherein when a server computer receives the request, the server computer uses a compiler to compile the identified form of the applet from an un-compiled form of the applet and then sends the identified form of the applet to the client computer that generated the request wherein the server computer caches the identified form of the applet so that when another request is received for the same applet in the identified form, the identified form of the applet can be sent without recompiling the identified form of the applet.

90. A computer-readable medium containing a data structure, the data structure including a request generated by a client computer, the request identifying an applet and identifying a form of the identified applet, the identified form being one of a plurality of compiled forms of the identified applet wherein when a server computer receives the request, the server computer uses a compiler to compile the identified form of the applet from an un-compiled form of the applet and then sends the identified form of the applet to the client computer that generated the request wherein in response to receiving the request, the server computer requests the applet in the un-compiled form from a computer other than the server computer.

91. A computer-readable medium containing a data structure, the data structure including a request generated by a client computer, the request identifying an applet and identifying a form of the identified applet, the identified form being one of a plurality of compiled forms of the identified applet wherein when a server computer receives the request, the server computer uses a compiler to compile the identified form of the applet from an un-compiled form of the applet and then sends the identified form of the applet to the client computer that generated the request wherein the applet is part of a web page.

92. A computer-readable medium containing a data structure, the data structure including a request generated by a client computer, the request identifying an applet and identifying a form of the identified applet, the identified form being one of a plurality of compiled forms of the identified applet wherein when a server computer receives the request, the server computer uses a compiler to compile the identified form of the applet from an un-compiled form of the applet and then sends the identified form of the applet to the client computer that generated the request wherein the un-compiled form is an intermediate form.

93. The computer-readable medium of claim 92 wherein the intermediate form is Java byte code.

94. A computer-readable medium containing a data structure, the data structure including a request generated by a client computer, the request identifying an applet and identifying a form of the identified applet, the identified form being one of a plurality of compiled forms of the identified applet wherein when a server computer receives the request, the server computer uses a compiler to compile the identified form of the applet from an un-compiled form of the applet and then sends the identified form of the applet to the client computer that generated the request wherein the un-compiled form is a source form.

95. The computer-readable medium of claim 94 wherein the source form is Java source.

96. A computer-readable medium containing a data structure, the data structure including a request generated by a client computer, the request identifying an applet and identifying a form of the identified applet, the identified form being one of a plurality of compiled forms of the identified applet wherein when a server computer receives the request, the server computer uses a compiler to compile the identified form of the applet from an un-compiled form of the applet and then sends the identified form of the applet to the client computer that generated the request wherein the server computer transforms the applet before compiling the applet.

97. The computer-readable medium of claim 96 wherein the transforming is verifying the applet.

98. The computer-readable medium of claim 96 wherein the transforming is optimizing the applet.

99. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a client computer, the instructions being generated by a server computer in response to receiving a request from a client computer, the request identifying an applet and identifying a form of the applet, wherein the server computer generates the instructions by compiling a compiled form of the applet from an un-compiled form of the applet wherein the server computer retrieves the un-compiled form of the applet from a computer other than the server computer.

100. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a client computer, the instructions being generated by a server computer in response to receiving a request from a client computer, the request identifying an applet and identifying a form of the applet, wherein the server computer generates the instructions by compiling a compiled form of the applet from an un-compiled form of the applet wherein the server computer stores the compiled form of the applet in a cache.

101. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a client computer, the instructions being generated by a server computer in response to receiving a request from a client computer, the request identifying an applet and identifying a form of the applet, wherein the server computer generates the instructions by compiling a compiled form of the applet from an un-compiled form of the applet wherein the un-compiled form of the applet is Java intermediate code.

102. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a client computer, the instructions being generated by a server computer in response to receiving a request from a client computer, the request identifying an applet and identifying a form of the applet, wherein the server computer generates the instructions by compiling a compiled form of the applet from an un-compiled form of the applet wherein the un-compiled form of the applet is Java source code.

103. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a client computer, the instructions being generated by a server computer in response to receiving a request from a client computer, the request identifying an applet and identifying a form of the applet, wherein the server computer generates the instructions by compiling a compiled form of the applet from an un-compiled form of the applet wherein the instructions are part of a web page.

104. A server computer comprising:

local resources that include compilers and modules;

a cache for storing applets;

a transformer; and

an applet server manager that

receives requests from client computers for an applet in an identified form,

when the identified form of the applet is stored in the cache, sends the identified form of the applet stored in the cache to the client computer that sent the request, and

when the identified form of the applet is not stored in the cache, generates the identified form of the applet using a compiler and a module, stores the identified form of the applet in the cache, and sends the identified form of the applet to the client computer that sent the request

wherein the applet server manager uses the transformer to transform the module before generating the identified form of the applet.

105. A server computer comprising:

local resources that include compilers and modules;

a cache for storing applets

a transformer; and

an applet server manager that

receives requests from client computers for an applet in an identified form,

when the identified form of the applet is stored in the cache, sends the identified form of the applet stored in the cache to the client computer that sent the request,

when the identified form of the applet is not stored in the cache, generates the identified form of the applet using a compiler and a module, stores the identified form of the applet in the cache, and sends the identified form of the applet to the client computer that sent the request

wherein the applet server manager uses the transformer to transform the identified applet after it is generated using the compiler.

106. A server computer comprising:

local resources that include compilers and modules;

a cache for storing applets; and

an applet server manager that

receives requests from client computers for an applet in an identified form,

when the identified form of the applet is stored in the cache, sends the identified form of the applet stored in the cache to the client computer that sent the request, and

when the identified form of the applet is not stored in the cache, generates the identified form of the applet using a compiler and a module, stores the identified form of the applet in the cache, and sends the identified form of the applet to the client computer that sent the request

wherein the applet server manager retrieves a module from a computer other than the server computer when a module that is not another form of the applet is not stored with the local resource.