title: How can I allow Firefox (or Chrome) to read a PC's hostname or other assignable ID?
body: <p><strong>I want to be able to assign a unique name to each PC</strong> in a WAN (either in the hostname or in a local file) <strong>and</strong> somehow <strong>allow the browser to pick this information up</strong>. The rationale is that I can later trace that "transaction X was carried out on terminal A", which I then know that it is on building B, floor C, room D and so on. Why we need this, it's another topic. Just say we do need this kind of identification for good reason.</p>
  
  <p>So far we've used a custom plugin (.dll + .xpi) that would read a local config file and also allow us to talk to the LPT port (again, don't ask :) ), but that has left us <strong>stuck with Firefox 3.6.17</strong>. The LPT stuff won't be needed in the newer version, so we're left with identifying our workstations and preferably storing some other read-only config info in there. Something that an admin will only be able to change.</p>
  
  <p>While I didn't write <em>that</em> plugin, I understand that in the later versions of Firefox all these are impossible. So we went out and:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>tried writing a Firefox extension that will only read a local file. After FF26 (or was it 28?) the API changed once again and we simply can't get this functionality to work (although we contacted Mozilla devs and we followed their guidelines meticulously)</li>
  <li>tried writing a <strong>Java Applet</strong>, but <strong>I don't know if that is the way to go in 2015</strong>. It certainly was back in the early 2000s, when I was writing Java. The applet works, but I'm concerned about the performance/stability of the JRE (I know that for deployment I'll have to buy a code-signing certificate)</li>
  <li>thought about writing a <strong>Flash plugin</strong> instead of a Java Applet. But then, I'm not really fond of Flash and I wish it to whither away into oblivion, because it so deserves it. But if it'll do my work better, I'll use it anytime</li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>So, how would you go about solving this task? What is the "recommended way" to do this in 2015?</p>