IBM jumps on Java bandwagon

Electronic News, Dec 11, 1995

Mountain View, Calif.--In another sign of momentum for Sun Microsystems' Java programming language, IBM plans to license it for use in its World Wide Web servers and browsers, as well as with Lotus Notes.

IBM will also port Java to its OS/2 and AIX operating systems, and also to Microsoft Windows 3.1. These ports will be available on the Web in the first quarter of 1996.

IBM's announcement just as Microsoft unveils an Internet strategy based on its Blackbird multimedia tools, Visual Basic (VB) programming tools, and Ole integration software. Many vendors in the software industry see Java's cross-platform development environment as a potential threat to Microsoft Corp.'s dominance.

"The key here is that it's Microsoft versus the rest of world. Microsoft's Internet strategy is Blackbird, Visual Basic and Ole: they are Windows-centric. Java is non-proprietary. Microsoft is facing potential damage to its control of the desktop. Java is an opportunity to break the paradigm," said Chris LeTocq, software analyst at Dataquest.

IBM's support for Java also strengthens integration between the Web and the Lotus Notes product line, said Mr. LeTocq. "I think Java and Notes is excellent. IBM needs to communicate a coherent strategy for the Internet: Notes 4.0 will have very strong built-in Internet applets," said Mr. LeTocq.

Eric Schmidt, chief technology officer at Sun Microsystems, said "Java is gaining broad acceptance as a robust, vendor-neutral technology that gives users a more productive way to use the Internet and helps programmers respond to the challenges of programming for the Internet."

The challenge for Microsoft is to convince software developers that its Blackbird development environment and Visual Basic Custom Controls are a credible rival to Java on the Web. Microsoft's Blackbird was originally conceived as software for content developers to provide online material for the Microsoft Network and the Web. The company may now have to reposition it as a more general purpose programming tool.

"The Blackbird development environment was really designed to appeal to content providers. The question is whether they can turn that around to make it an effective development environment. Microsoft has to turn on a dime here--it's a departure from their usual 18 month product plans," said Mr. LeTocq.

Microsoft will also need to convince the development community that the Blackbird development environment will be truly open and freely available. "Does the Blackbird client get distributed for free? When? Is the Client API open? Is anybody committed to doing a Blackbird client themselves? Microsoft will want to get as much of it out there as they can. They have their finger in the HTML dike," said Mr. LeTocq.

Microsoft's strategy, in turn, hinges on establishing OLE custom controls (OCXes) and OLE Automation objects created by third parties using VB 4.0 and Visual C , as alternatives to Java applets. Both execute Internet client functions such as incorporating real-time updates or performing calculations in networked applications.

However, some observers said Microsoft may even be forced to license Java. "Microsoft is being walked into a corner,said Kathey Hale, senior analyst at Dataquest Inc.'s On-line Strategies Group, in San Jose, Calif. "If Microsoft doesn't license Java, they create space for the competition. But if they do (license Java), they cannibalize themselves because they lose some control over the direction of the desktop."