Re: JAVA (was: Re: "stable" platforms)

** Reply to note from DAsmussen <DAsmussen@aol.com> Wed, 25 Mar 1998 01:18:41 
EST


> I'd certainly be interested in seeing the licensing agreements that caused 
>all 
> these problems between Sun, Micro$oft, and HP.  I somehow doubt that the DOJ 
> would find the disparity to be as heinous as Micro$oft and HP claim them to 
>be 
> -- _BUT_, it's not a crime to refuse to sign a contract.  However, I would 
> think that it _should_ be a crime to purport to support a language that is 
> bastardized from its original form.  Of course, this has obviously not been a 
> problem in the OS arena when it comes to UNIX.  I think that M$ is trying to 
> capitalize on the "split decision" over the cable box deal. 

The Microsoft/Sun suit is pretty simple, Sun states that in order to
use the Java logo they must provide a 100% Java compliant JVM.
Microsoft says they do not need to ship the full JVM with their
product. Microsoft decided that some components of their JVM would not
be distributed with Internet Explorer, instead they are provided via
an FTP site. Their functions are duplicated within IE using Win32
objects. 

In dealing with MS on this topic Sun states that they were informed
that MS had no intentions of shipping a Java compliant JVM. 

> Sun itself is not entirely without blame here.  They should place JAVA in the 
> public domain, and help establish a board of major software/hardware 
> manufacturers to oversee the direction of the language IMO.  Forget the 

Putting Java in the public domain would kill it instantly. Sun (and
IBM) have fought a long battle in getting an independant standards
body to accredit Java. Now there is an independant body to certify
levels of Java compliance. Also, there is Sun pushing the product to
focus it's growth and maturity. 

If Java were in the public domain, there would be no cohesive group
moving it forward. Certainly Microsoft would be unchallanged when they
shipped the Win32 specific version of Java. They would simply bundle
theirs free and toss in some WinNT hooks to provide additional service
levels. How many of the worlds average users would have any idea what
was going on?

> Dean Asmussen



Chris Rehm
Mr.AS400@ibm.net

How often can you afford to be unexpectedly out of business?
Get an AS/400.
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