Linked by Andy Roberts on Thu 19th May 2005 19:33 UTC
Java Swing comes with "pluggable look-and-feel technology", which essentially boils down to the fact that interfaces can be "skinned" (although this is simplifying a tad) and is therefore, extremely flexible. By default, Java ships with a cross-platform look-and-feel (LAF), which means your apps can look consistent across all platforms, or LAFs that mimic the look of a specific platform, say Windows, for example. However, one of the chief complaints of Java desktop applications is its "look". It basically stems from two issues:
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I'm a big believer in having the same L&F throughout the platform, and I think MacOS X and GNOME do an excellent job of that. What gets me, however, is how inane the Windows UI has become. The three screenshots there are pretty funny --- you could have easily added Visual Studio.NET to the mix to up the total to 5 different L&Fs in Microsoft's own applications. The Office screenshot was particularly jarring. I'd never seen Office XP until now, and I didn't realize that the horrid Keramik rip-off had infected the *entire* Office lineup. I had the impression it was just Visio...
Why does Microsoft do this? Especially when Apple seems to have no problem keeping things coherent?