At 11:05 -0700 5.6.96, Martin Minow wrote:
Tim May writes
Java as a language and as a platform-independent implementation is an achievement.
It's also not owned by the evil Redmond empire
I'm not so sure. It seems to me that Sun's abrogation of responsibility for the x86 reference implementation to Microsoft also handed over the de facto ownership of Java until ANSI/ISO get their hands on it, by which time it may be too late. (It also raises the question whether a browser with a built-in Java VM, such as Netscape's, will use its own VM or the Java VM present in the OS when a choice is available.) There are an awful lot of x86 boxes out there and they carry a lot of common-denominational weight. There's also little to stop Microsoft from extending their Java implementation while remaining compliant with the basic Java spec. The HTML wars seem to have quieted down considerably in recent months, but I still recall the vigorous extension-tag oneupmanship that went on between Microsoft and Netscape; I see no reason that this couldn't also happen with Java. ObCrypto: If Microsoft does wind up setting the de facto standard for Java by virtue of owning the x86/Win32 VM, can it successfully force the use of its particular APIs in Java applets by sheer weight of installed base? ________________________________________________________________________ Stephan Somogyi Mr Gyroscope Digital Media