It would be nice if javadoc did something more intelligent with [labels for] references to classes not defined [documented] in the current run of javadoc.  This comes up all the time when using javadoc on anything except the JDK.  
Simple uses of String in the API turn into java.lang.String in the javadocs,
which is excessively verbose and ugly.

Maybe we need an option to build an external link table [mapping simple
class names to fully-qualified names]?  For instance,
The JavaMail API's depend on the JavaBeans Activation Framework,
located in activation.jar.  It might be nice to have a separate external
references HTML page so that a reference to the class "DataHandler" in
the JavaMail source can turn into a link to an item on this external
reference page that explains that "DataHandler" is really
"javax.activation.DataHandler".  Similarly for all the JDK classes.  One
external references page for each "classpath element" would be reasonable.

N/A

Other proposals to solve this...
Another simpler solution to this problem would be to add
"tooltips" containing the fully-qualified name to each of 
the class names.  These are small labels that appear when 
you hover the mouse pointer over a word.  This would work
for the -link and -linkoffline options everywhere a class 
links to an external reference.

RFE 4359889 considers other possibilities (for int or ext refs):
1) Omit package name for classes in java.lang
2) -fullyqualifyclasses option
3) -noqualifier option to specify package names to be omitted

Bill says solution #1 would solve 80% of the problem.

Let's discuss the "best" solution before implementing anything.

  xxxxx@xxxxx   2001-01-31


RFE 4359889 is now fixed, and resolves most of this issue.
It does not give access to the fully-qualified names, but
another bug request asks for that.  Closing out as a dupe.
  xxxxx@xxxxx   2001-06-29