I'm looking around for a Java code signing certificate so my Java applets don't throw up such scary security warnings. However, all the places I've found offering them charge (in my opinion) way too much, like over USD200 per year. While doing research, a code signing certificate seems almost exactly the same as an SSL certificate.
The main question I have: is it possible to buy an SSL certificate, but use it to sign Java applets?
Short answer: No, they're different.
Long answer: It's the same sort of certificate and it uses the same crypto software, but the certificate has flags indicating what it is allowed to be used for. Code signing and web server are different uses.