A DESCRIPTION OF THE REQUEST :
Many users want a System.launchDefaultBrowser() like function. Beyond that,  Java may introduce a javax.desktop package, which is dedicated to Desktop Environment related objects/properties/actions/tasks...

  To name a few:

  To launch default application handling given url:
Desktop.launchDefaultHandler(URL url, boolean makeNewInstance);
Desktop.launchDefaultHandler(String file, boolean makeNewInstance);
Desktop.launchDefaultHandler(File file, boolean makeNewInstance);


  To launch a default application instance and open an empty file:
Desktop.launchDefaultBrowser();
Desktop.launchDefaultMailClient();
Desktop.launchDefaultMailWriter();
Desktop.launchDefaultNewsReader();
Desktop.launchDefaultTextEditor();
Desktop.launchDefaultRichTextEditor();
...

  To set current desktop wall paper:
Desktop.setCurrentWallPaper(URL picture, Enum fillMethod);

  To add an applet into System Tray:
import javax.desktop.tray.*;
TrayApplet applet = new TrayApplet();
.....
Desktop.addSysTrayApplet(applet);

etc, etc



JUSTIFICATION :
Many people want to program real desktop applications in Java.

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
Let experts figure out what a "Desktop" is.

Perple can "program desktop" in Java!
ACTUAL -
People have to turn to System.exec(), JNI, etc, to write attractive desktop applications, which is not reliable, platform dependent, and require much effort.
(Incident Review ID: 201520) 
======================================================================
Posted Date : 2005-11-28 18:54:03.0

N/A

Planned for Mustang, see http://jplan.sfbay/feature/239
  xxxxx@xxxxx   2005-04-14 10:54:55 GMT

The proposed API is at http://sceri.prc/desktop/MH/java_integration/download/desktop_api_tuning/javadoc/
  xxxxx@xxxxx   2005-04-14 10:55:30 GMT
6255196(various desktop access methods) was integrated into Mustang (6.0) build 49.
4310333(tray API) was integrated into Mustang (6.0) build 38.
Posted Date : 2005-11-28 18:54:04.0

a javax.desktop package would also be a nice place for 
desktop integration functionality (e.g. creating shortcuts, 
desktop items, and start-menu + equivalents icons)

Here are some related RFEs:

RFE: Access to desktop notification area, i.e. Windows Systray
http://developer.java.sun.com/developer/bugParade/bugs/4737770.html

RFE: Windows taskbar notification/flashing support
http://developer.java.sun.com/developer/bugParade/bugs/4902807.html

Add a system method for launching the user's default browser
http://developer.java.sun.com/developer/bugParade/bugs/4210168.html

Programmatic access to network parameters
http://developer.java.sun.com/developer/bugParade/bugs/4691932.html

To that list I would add:
Integration of the Java Activation Framework and its native
counterpart

Since all of the platforms that Java ships on provide
similar desktop
interfaces and abilities, there should be an a desktop
abstraction
API to provide access to the desktop shell.  I'm talking
about a layer
over this stuff:

Shell Programmer's Guide
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/shellcc/platform/shell/programmersguide/shell_intro.asp

Both of the URLs given in the evaluation are unreachable.  Judging by the domain names, they appear to be references to internal servers.  Please republish them someplace public.