Java: Sun And IBM Collaborate On Java Media Technologies - Company Business and Marketing

Edge: Work-Group Computing Report, Oct 12, 1998

Sun Microsystems, Inc. and IBM Wednesday announced an agreement to jointly develop the next release of the Java Media Framework. The Java Media Framework is an application programming interface (API) that greatly facilitates the use of streaming media, such as audio and video, in applications for the enterprise. The Java Media Framework 2.0 API will extend the Java platform to provide developers with a flexible new toolset for working with time-based media, while making it easier for users to enjoy media-enhanced applications.

The agreement between Sun and IBM to collaborate on the development of Java Media Framework 2.0 paves the way for delivering a wide variety of media-enabled enterprise applications. Business applications -- such as distance learning, just-in-time training, interactive presentations and customer support -- can be greatly enhanced by the use of streaming media. Industry leaders who provide and enable such solutions have endorsed this announcement.

"The Java Media Framework 2.0 release will provide developers with the enhanced functionality they need to incorporate and optimize time-based media into their applets and applications for the Java platform," said Jon Kannegaard, vice president of the Java platform at Sun Microsystems, Inc.'s Java Software. "Today's announcement underscores our commitment to furthering the functionality in the Java Media Framework API and other media technologies."

"Streaming media improves communication, provides a richer user experience and simply makes e-business applications more effective," said Armando Garcia, vice president Internet media, IBM. "Java Media Framework 2.0 will eliminate the traditional hurdles of streaming media on the network, and will give developers unprecedented power to use rich media creatively in e-business." The Benefits of Java Media Framework 2.0

Earlier versions of the Java Media Framework API provided a universal media player with VCR-type playback controls -- start, stop, pause, forward, back -- that enabled users to experience virtually any type of media either on their desktop or directly within their browser, without having to download external helper applications.

Java Media Framework 2.0 expands upon these capabilities in a number of ways. Java Media Framework 2.0 continues to provide an intuitive, high-level API that is easy to use, is common across all platforms and provides developers with a unified platform for capturing and recording media in custom applications written to the Java platform. In addition, the open architecture of Java Media Framework 2.0 will make it possible for developers to use custom codecs, add special effects, and have greater control and programmability over the multimedia development and playback processes.

The Java Media Framework is part of a family of multimedia APIs and technologies that extend the Java platform to provide developers with enhanced multimedia development capabilities.

Availability The draft API specification of Java Media Framework 2.0 is scheduled be posted for public review in the fourth quarter of 1998. An early access version of the Java Media Framework 2.0 API is expected to be released to developers by the end of the year. For more information on Java Media Framework, visit http://java.sun.com/products/java-media/.> FMI: http://www.software.ibm.com/net.media and http://sun.com.