You could use an add-in to access them. You can put the Applet into a CAB file, Code-signing it, it can then get outside of the sandbox. The 1.1 book was about learning Java the language, Learn Java Now. I'd like to use WFC in an applet that works with IE AND Communicator. Portable Java will run anywhere.
Designer here is like a property page.
You see them in the Property Window for some of the properties, like Anchor. I work with the technologies, not the marketing, licensing, and legal stuff that seems to float all around the technologies. The area that I work in is Tools and Wizards. The general feedback that I have heard is very positive. There is a part of the developer community that is very heavily invested in portablity.