Friend, 12 03 95 Edupage reports: SUN PLANS JAVA-LIKE MICROKERNEL Sun Microsystems is already working on a microkernel-like operating system to run low-tech "Internet appliances." Dubbed Java OS, Sun's chief technical officer Eric Schmidt calls it the "natural next step" for Java. The new software will "take the Java classes and put them on the mini- mum OS functionality you need. You can add additional functionality by writing in Java," he says. It will require only 4 to 8 Mbytes of memory, and will not support Windows applications or other programs that make large demands on system memory. "This thing doesn't come with Sound Blaster and speakers. If you need a PC, buy a PC," says Schmidt. (Information Week 4 Dec 95 p104) The condescending tone illustrates the points made by wfgodot@iquest.com on 11 30 95: It seems that many corporate types are fixated on the idea of tractable and predictable consumers. [snip] The approach to understanding the actual dynamics of why people are and will increasingly come into this space and what they will want to do once they get there is deficient for many. [snip] Others are puzzled, or are overtly threatened by the idea of potential consumer's who are also content producers. Cordially, Jim