And I believe that even applets can read and write data files on disk IF THE APPLET ENVIRONMENT PERMITS this. Netscape and similar environments at this time of course _don't_ let this happen, but this is a choice (as I understand it) made at this time and perhaps for this version of the respective pieces of software. (As I understand it, an explicit decision not to allow file i/o, for some obvious though not necessarily permanent reasons.)
This is correct. A class called the SecurityManager enforces this, and it can be changed or shut off if one builds a custom version of the classes zip file that has the appropriate changes to the security manager. There was a posting to a java news group or mailing list about how to do this a few months ago, I can find it if anyone cares. Andy