GlassFish v2 already has Java WebStart support (TA entries) but Tim just added JavaFX Scripting support. This is targeted for GlasFish v2 UR but it will show up in a build near you very soon.

The technology requires Java SE 6 on the client but the client can be delivered via Java WebStart. Check all about it at Tim's writeup, and share with us if you write a cool screencast.

Patrick Secheresse has recently published detailed step-by-step instructions on writing Java EE clients (a topic dear to Tim's heart) using GlassFish and NetBeans: •  EJB 3.0 Web Start Application Client (no more InitialContext().lookup(...);) •  Programmatic Login from a Stand-Alone Client (full GlassFish documentation here).

The Java EE Clients can be either batch or interactive Swing or JavaFX UIs and use pretty much any Java technology or library you like. The main interest in using the Application Client Container is to have dependency injection work on the client tier for things like security context, remote references to EJB or Web Services, and even transaction context, all hosted by the GlassFish application server.

There are a few drawbacks such as the size of the files you need to download. For that matter the Java Web Start File Caching may come handy. An overall smaller footprint and better customization of generated JNLP files are part of the future plans.

Tim has addressed a common request for enhancement in GlassFish v2 by providing a way to Specify the Icon and Splash images. As Tim describes it, he has additional features in the queue, but this seems to cover the most important customization request. To access this feature just check in the current v2 builds.

Here are three blogs by Sameer, Geertjan and Cay in the area of Web Services on downloaded rich clients. In the first blog, Sameer describes how to Use JAX-WS from within an Applet; then Geertjan elaborates on it using NetBeans in his entry on JAX-WS, Applets and Dilbert (that is why there is a Dilbert Cartoon in the image). Sameer then describes how to convert this into a Java Web Start application with a simple JNLP Configuration.

The area where things get more complicated is around signing the JARs (documentation); Cay's most recent blog Raises Usability Questions; also see the comments to that blog and those for Stan's Blog. Let me see if I can get Tim and Vince involved in this thread; they have been Posting on Java Web Start for a number of months.

BTW, check the Dilbert entry from This Sunday. I think most of us will appreciate it... :-) :-).