Cellsprings Help: Cellsprings/Web vs. WebsideCA

• Requires a JDK 1.1 or greater compatible Java runtime.
• Popup main window, launched by an HTML-embedded button...
• ...which implies a main menu...
• ...which implies menu-item linked keyboard shortcuts...
• ...and of course the main window also implies resizability...yay!...
• ...and it has a larger display area to start with.
• All classes and resources are packaged in JAR files.
• Context-independent architecture, the upshot of which is that there is now a Java application edition (with a few additional capabilities).
• Initialization, including resource loading, occurs in a separate thread with a concurrent loading message.
• Preset rules and seeds are now in a JAR file loaded at startup.
• Over twice as many preset rules, all documented internally.
• Program options are specified in property files rather than in the APPLET tag, for the sake of context-independence and less HTML clutter.
• Rules may be saved to common directories on the server.
• Ditto for states.
• Ditto for state-sequences - i.e., you can record your own animated GIF "orbit movies" to download and use elsewhere.
• Files (except movies) in the common directories may be opened into the applet as rules and seed states.
• User files are loaded in their own cancelable thread, as in a browser.
• Rule parameter controls are now on a panel nicknamed the RuleTool rather than in a separate window.
• Homemade graphical "speed buttons" in three flavors (plain, toggle, and choice - i.e., w/ popup menus), to replace the less flexible and bulkier AWT equivalents.
• Status bar hints for controls (except in the RuleTool "rulodex", which still is its own world).
• General Binary (now called General 1Bit) table-editing now features flyover selection and click bit-toggling rather than the old clunkier method involving click selection and separate birth and survival checkboxes.
• The General 1Bit Moore editor lets you import an MCell Weighted Life definition string.
• General 2Bit von Neumann rules (formerly General Nonbinary) may now be edited, albeit in crude fashion. Specifically, 2 forms of randomization and import of a rule-table string are supported.
• Universe width and height can be set to arbitrary values (up to the program cell limit).
• Control over cell magnification (zoom).
• Add/read embedded comments in rule and state files.
• Multiple preset color maps.
• Selectable slow-mo mode rate.
• Optimizations that may lead to faster update under some implementations and conditions.
• Various fixes for bugs or potential bugs. In particular thread management has been considerably cleaned up.
• Demographics window has its own start/stop button (like a remote control).
• Rudimentary manual state-editing support, permitting individual cells to be toggled and cycled with the mouse.
• Framed-fill state operation added.
• Option to apply fill operation with auto-pre-wiping of the universe. (In WCA you had to do it manually, if I remember correctly.)
• Quick tips.
• These HTML help files can be accessed within the applet.