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Java Group Declares War on Microsoft

Developers group Java Lobby accuses Microsoft of fragmenting Java platform.

By Nancy Weil, PCWorld   

Visual J++ 6.0 is being viewed by the Java Lobby as a sign that Microsoft wants to further tighten its hold on the industry and further fragment the programming language developed and owned by Sun Microsystems, an archrival of Microsoft.

%dquotRegrettably, the time has come to abandon all hope that Microsoft will cease their antagonism to Java and to us, the community of Java developers and supporters,%dquot wrote Rick Ross, Java Lobby president, in a letter posted Tuesday on the group%squots Web site. %dquotMicrosoft has raised the stakes with a new attempt to fragment the Java platform, Visual J++ 6.0. This forthcoming product reportedly alters the Java programming language itself.%dquot

%dquotIt is clear that if they cannot own or control Java, then they will do everything in their power to destroy it. There is no chance whatsoever that they will relent.%dquot

Visual J++ 6.0 is designed to %dquotprovide easy access to the full power of the Windows platform,%dquot according to Microsoft%squots announcement. The software includes new keywords that will run only on the Windows operating system, which rankles Ross.

%dquotIt is our goal to see the %squotwrite once, run anywhere%squot promise fulfilled, and the progress toward that goal in Java%squots three short years of existence is nothing less than spectacular,%dquot Ross wrote, suggesting that Microsoft is intent on destroying Java%squots multiplatform promise.

Likening the conflict with Microsoft to World War II, Ross added, %dquotFrom this point forward we must recognize that we are, in fact, at war with Microsoft.%dquot

Sun and Microsoft already have declared war in the ongoing dispute over control of Java. Sun filed suit last year, arguing that Microsoft has violated terms of its Java licensing agreement. That case is expected to take months, if not years, to resolve.

While the Java Lobby has taken a stand against Microsoft--which timed its announcements to coincide with Spring Internet World--various vendors are behind Microsoft%squots latest move.

Fujitsu Software said Wednesday it will support and use Visual J++ 6.0, as well as Windows Foundation Classes for Java that also were announced by Microsoft. Intel and a host of smaller software and technology vendors also are supporting J/Direct, Microsoft%squots technology that allows developers to build native Windows-based applications using Java, Microsoft said in one of a series of related announcements Wednesday.

Apple Computer announced Wednesday that it will work with Microsoft to develop Java technologies for Macintosh computers. The companies are collaborating on a Java virtual machine for the Mac OS, which will incorporate Microsoft Java technologies, the companies said in a statement. Microsoft plans to license various related technologies to Apple as part of the collaboration.