Java-Powered Tube Animation

This page shows a little experiment in Java programming. When you first reach this page, the rectangles at the top will be blank at first, while the Java applet downloads the images it needs. The images may also blink on and off for a little while until everything is present in memory.

Eventually, you should see five miniature GE tubes whose innards glow and fade rhythmically. Real radio tubes don't behave like that, of course, but it's a neat visual effect and learning to program it taught me a little about Java.

The applet appears only if you're viewing this page with a Java-enabled browser such as Internet Explorer 3.0 or Netscape 2.0. If you're using some other browser, you may not see the images.

This Java program uses simple techniques described in an edition of JavaWorld.

You could achieve similar effects using animated .GIF files or JavaScript.

©1995-2023 Philip I. Nelson, all rights reserved