Comments Re Active Labs demo

[Donovan C. Haines]

> Example:  From the opening screen window, which looks like some kind of
> structure drawing program, I clicked on the right button labeled aromatics.
> The button depressed, then NOTHING HAPPENED FOR 30 SECONDS.  That is
> forever when you are sitting in front of a computer screen and are
> expecting some response.  Then a new window opened - blank - and nothing
> happened for about 10 seconds.  Finally, I got a menu of aromatic
> structures.  Then I clicked on one of them.  Repeat the experience just
> described above.
> 
> On my Apple system, when I supply input to an application, and there is
> going to be a significant delay in response, the  system/application alerts
> me to be patient by showing a clockface, hour glass, or some other icon
> that indicates the system is busy, but it knows I am waiting and will
> return a response as soon as it can.  When I supply input to a Java applet,
> my cursor disappears and then nothing happens for seconds or more typically
> - minutes. 

I've been reading a bit about Java, and it seems a simple band-aid 
would be for programmer's themselves to write such a busy signal 
into their code.  It wouldn't prevent the delays, but would prevent 
the lack of communication.

In fact, if there are any Java programmers reading this, perhaps they 
could write a generic busy signal and distribute it.

Also, I went to the page and everything clipped along just fine (8:00 
am CST on a pentium 133 running Windows 95 with Netscape 3.0 gold).  
I couldn't find a button for aromatics, though.  Am I just blind or 
does someone know of a reason it would not show up on my system?
Java works fine, but do I need to download an extension?

                       -Donovan C. Haines
                        GTA, Chemistry Department
                        The Wichita State University
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