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Sun Pitches Java as Standard, Group Votes No

Microsoft, IBM voice opposition to Sun proposal.

By Ed Scannell and Ted Bowen, InfoWorld Electric   

The vote may only slow down the process, however, and is not the last word on the fate of Java as a worldwide programming standard.

The committee%squots 29 voting members were considering Sun%squots application to become a Publicly Available Specification submitter, which could significantly speed up the typically lengthy process to gain adoption by the International Standards Organization.

Thursday%squots meeting is largely viewed as the first step toward gaining that adoption, which typically could take anywhere from one to several years to accomplish.

The committee%squots comments largely had to do with Sun%squots proposal to continue the Java trademark name, future maintenance of the Java standard, and which technologies Sun plans to submit in the process.

Sun officials said they planned to review all of the comments but were confident that they could successfully work out issues raised by the Technical Advisory Group. Company officials did not comment on when they would resubmit its proposal, however.

The vote before TAG is an unusual one because, in the view of some, Sun has bypassed submissions to several American-based standards bodies including the World Wide Web Consortium.

Some believe Sun is trying to use Java%squots momentum to rush Java through ISO before its competitors, particularly Microsoft, have an opportunity to offer input.

%dquotI think some of Microsoft%squots concern here is that they feel [Java] is getting fast-tracked and that Microsoft won%squott have enough time to lobby with ISO to make its points,%dquot said an East Coast analyst.

Over the past few months there has been strong opposition to Sun%squots proposal to make Java a standard by several of its major competitors, most notably Microsoft. They generally claim that Sun, as a for-profit company, wants all the benefits of what such a status gives Java but is unwilling to give up complete control of the technology.

%dquotThe view of numerous interested parties is that Sun wants the benefit of an ISO standard, but is unwilling to part with even the minimum intellectual property rights or to commit to an open process for developing the technology in the future,%dquot according to a letter sent to TAG by Brad Silverberg, a senior vice president at Microsoft.

%dquotUnder the current proposal, Sun doesn%squott give up anything. They control the Java specification, evolution of the specification, and trademarks, and they determine who%squots compatible with the specification. That%squots not the way the standards process works. It was a pretty brazen proposal,%dquot said Charles Fitzgerald, program manager of Microsoft%squots Internet client and collaboration division.

Some argue that Microsoft%squots lobbying efforts against Sun are typical of the company in that if it doesn%squott have a major influence on a standard it will do its best to either derail the effort or keep lobbying until it does gain a foothold.

Although a negative vote throws a few bricks in the road, it should not derail Sun%squots efforts. %dquotThe way I see it, a no vote with comments is not a negative. It would just mean they need to make some additions and clarifications before there can be a %squotyes%squot vote. It doesn%squott at all derail the initiative,%dquot said Scott Hebner, marketing manager of IBM%squots application development.

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