12/23/96 SUN WAKES UP AND SMELLS THE JAVA

SUN WAKES UP AND SMELLS THE JAVA

IS MICROSOFT ABOUT TO hijack Sun Microsystems' hot Java software? Not if Sun can help it. Microsoft, a licensee of the software for creating Internet programs, has been adding its own wrinkles to Java, making it run faster--but only on its Windows operating software. On Dec. 11, Sun drew a line in the sand. It announced plans to test and certify Java programs so they're sure to run on any hardware or software, not just Windows. The move is backed by IBM, Netscape Communications, Apple Computer, Oracle, and some 100 others--but not Microsoft. It says there's nothing wrong with its efforts to make Java work better with Windows.
EDITED BY KEITH H. HAMMONDS