Sun Microsoft Deal

A deal between Microsoft and Sun has been in the news recently (April 2004). I think one of the reasons for the deal was Java. Though it's not explicitly specified. WindowsLonghorn is the next OS Microsoft plans to release, and it has features such as Avalon, new communication stack etc. If Java is to run with Avalon effectively, it will have to throw away the LeastCommonDenominator? idea. The reason being that Avalon is a quite different programming paradigm from that of Windows. If Java does not have special APIs to tap into Avalon features, it will end up losing in an already thin fat client market. So, it benefits Sun to prepare for such a situation, and provide a probable Java-.NET bridge. So, it seems that we will end up having a slightly different version of Java for Windows, to tap into all the power of Avalon. To emulate Avalon using Swing will only make it worse. -- vhi

I thought Sun Java is mainly after the server market. If so, then MicrosoftIndigo is the technology to be engaged. CommentsPlease? --dl

Though Java on server side is the most popular, Sun actually wants to push for Java on desktop. Desktop applications outnumber server side, and for Sun to ensure that Microsoft loses its Windows monopoly, it needs Java to gain inroads in this arena.

Java is controlled by Sun and therefore not really trusted by people interested in OpenSource. Too bad there is nothing else that even comes close to Java.

Well...there are quite a few other languages, by now, that are competitive in terms of technical features (sometimes even including tool support and extensive libs, and at least arguably close in terms of portability).

But of course Java has a great ArmyOfProgrammers who supposedly, it is claimed, theoretically "know" how to "program" in an "OO way" in Java (for suitable values of the terms enclosed in scare-quotes).

Of course most code you see is still procedural in nature, OO isn't nearly as wide spread as people think it is. Too many people seem to think that because they're using an OO language, it's automatically OO code.

That's part of the reason for the scare-quotes and irony.

CategoryJava