Java App (with a broken sandbox) vs Web App

My company and I are in the early planning stages of porting (or rewriting) a Java-based application to the web. It is a self-voicing SVG editor and viewer emphasizing accessibility. It is a mature project that is currently deployed as a W开发者_C百科indows application only. It has several native dependencies (JNI):

• Windows Speech API (SAPI)
• custom device drivers (which fewer users take advantage of).

I have experimented with signed applets before and know I can access these native routines in the browser, if needed. But is that the right approach? In my mind, shoehorning a full-featured Java application into the web browser is a mis-use of technology. It would certainly not be a web app, in the traditional sense.

Given enough time, much of the application's functionality could be replicated with fairly simple HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. If the system were changed to a web-based client-server model, I could stream sound files, eliminating the SAPI dependency on the client end. Device drivers would be more tricky, but an invisible, scriptable Java applet may be justifiable in this instance.

I realize this is somewhat subjective, but I am looking for confirmation on the above assumptions. I see the web abandoning monolithic Java/Flash applications in favor of HTML+JavaScripted UIs. I am looking for the best "future-ready" and platform independent approach.

(Moderators: flag as subjective, if needed)

When people write web apps in Java these days, the front end is typically (X)HTML+CSS with Javascript manipulating the DOM. Interaction is furthered with AJAX.

That doesn't negate the use of Java however. Typically all of your business logic will still be done on the server side, often in a Java servlet which services request from the front end.

So yes, in general the Web is moving away from Web apps with the UI implemented as a Java applet, but Java is stronger than ever in its role for the Web app market.