About ActiveX FAQ
Microsoft Corporation Amended August 12, 1996
Is Activex just a new name of the OLE?
Although Microsoft® ActiveXTM and OLE are based on the Component Object Model, COMs, they provide programs that are very different from service. COM provides a low-level object bundling mechanism that supports interaction communication between objects. OLE uses COM to provide low-level application services, such as connecting and embedding mechanisms, supporting users to create a composite document. In contrast, ActiveX provides a finer structure to support embedded controls on the network site, as well as the interaction of events. Optimizing ActiveX is to improve time and spatial efficiency, and optimize OLE, to facilitate the use of end users and an application of an integrated desktop system. ActiveX also brings some technical changes to Internet technology. For example, ActiveX has greatly reduced the amount of code (coded by 50% to 70), supports more submission and asynchronous connections.
2. Does Active are competing with Java?
"ActiveX is an integration technology, while Java is Internet language."
-Giga information group, June 6, 1996
ActiveX and JavaTM are not competitive technologies, but complementary technologies. First, Java is a programming language. Second, Java is a virtual bit code collection that can be run on any platform running the Java Virtual Machine (VM). Third, Java is a set of programming interface defines the underlying service available for Java code.
ActiveX is different, which provides another completely different superior features that can be integrated with objects created in different languages. ActiveX allows Java to access code written in other languages, which makes Java more powerful. With the above characteristics, network developers can flexibly create a composite object on the web page (these objects have developed with Java, and some other language development), while also supporting interaction between objects.
3. Which platform can run ActiveX?
Microsoft has made a lot of efforts in Microsoft to port ActiveX to Macintosh® and UNIX platforms. Microsoft and Metrowerks (main providers of Macintosh Development Tools) and Macromedia have worked hard to move ActiveX to the Macintosh platform (some underlying components have been moved to Macintosh). The most successful work in the Macintosh transplant is to introduce the Macintosoft Internet Explorer. Currently, Microsoft is working with companies such as Bristol to prepare ActiveX support UNIX.
4. Who is owned by ActiveX?
Microsoft has claimed that ActiveX becomes an industrial standard. A group of customers, ISVS, and platform sellers will collect together, decided to establish an independent organization, which will be specially responsible for ActiveX technology. ActiveX is not a standard driven by the committee, but a market-driven technology, thousands of ISVS jointly developed the standard under Microsoft coordination, eventually being implemented by Microsoft. The entire process includes multiple technical design reviews, draft specifications, code issuance and test feedback. Based on the above efforts, an ActiveX specification is finally formed. It is because of this open process, allowing ActiveX to support a large number of applications, components, and tool providers in a wide market space.
5. How do Active addresses Internet security issues?
In order to solve the problem of address security issues caused by the executable code written by anonymous authors distributed on the Internet, Microsoft is working with many ISVS to study the code signature standard, which provides the end user of the Internet software Software store purchase software users the same responsibility and privilege level. 6. What is the difference between ActiveX control and Netscape Plug-INS?
For end users, ActiveX controls have more superiority than PLUG-INS. Including, "Dynamic Download", transparent installation (Of course, you need to agree), support the AuthenticodeTM code signing confidentiality mechanism, providing commercial control libraries, with thousands of commercial controls that have been demonstrated.
For developers, PLUG-INS is an immeir of choice. Plug-Ins cannot be independent of the browser, Netscape does not design a business behavior pattern for its design, and the developer will throw the risk of recovering costs. Instead, the ActiveX control is a universal component, which can be inserted into any application. Moreover, there is now an embedded license mode, allowing developers to sell ActiveX controls for profit purposes. This is the reason why there is currently two million yet annually.
