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Federal Court orders Microsoft to Ship Sun Java
Posted by Raul Ruiz on Tuesday, January 21 @ 13:30:16 EST
Contributed by HowardGilbert
Antitrust
HowardGilbert writes "The Federal District Court in Maryland issued its order requiring Microsoft to carry the Sun Java runtime in all future versions of Windows. According to the order:

1) Microsoft must begin to include the Sun Java Runtime Environment (JRE) in all versions of Windows XP and make it available through Windows Update to already shipped systems. It must become the default version of Java invoked when the applet tag is used in a Web page. Sun can update it twice a year, or if critical security problems develop. Computer makers can disable it before shipping machines.
2) Microsoft is prohibited from making its Java Runtime available as an add-on to systems that don't have it already. MSJVM installation must check for an existing copy before updating a system. Sun posts a $25 million dollar bond if the Appeals Court decides that the license Microsoft purchased for $20 million allows the distribution and Sun's requested injunction denied Microsoft the rights it should have enjoyed.

The injunction is stayed for two weeks to allow Microsoft to appeal.

Curiously enough, I and any other owner of Visual J++ have the ability to distribute the Microsoft JVM with any Java program that I write, but Microsoft is now prohibited from distributing it. So if you need a copy, find someone who will give it to you."
 
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Re: Federal Court orders Microsoft to Ship Sun Java (Score: 1)
by HowardGilbert on Tuesday, January 21 @ 16:25:46 EST
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Now that Microsoft has a 4 month deadline to produce a refresh image of Windows XP to give to computer makers so they can preinstall it, an interesting thread of speculation is what else they might decide to add to this image either to bring it current or to piss Sun off.

The first suggestion is, of course, the Microsoft Java Virtual Machine. Microsoft is now prohibited from shipping it as an update to systems that don't have it, but is not prohibited from shipping it preinstalled on the products allowed by the license, including XP. So the image may contain both versions of Java, although the injunction requires that the applet tag in the browser default to Sun.

A second suggestion is the .NET Framework 1.1. Currently in Beta, it will be final when the product previously known as Server.NET ships in March. Since Sun has portrayed this as a battle between Java and .NET, seems Microsoft may want to preinstall both to give its own technology the best chance to compete.

The J# update to the .NET Framework, unless it has been rolled into the main Framework in the 1.1 release (it was still separate in the current Beta). This is needed to support the execution of Java programs recompiled by J# to run in the .NET Framework.

Items not particularly related to Sun: Microsoft may want to add any updates that bring XP Pro services up to a level most compatible with the new Server. Windows Media 9 could replace the older release. Upgrade DirectX from 8 to 9.

A separate topic of discussion: "What can Microsoft do to run up the bill so that when the Appeals Court overturns the injunction (as it almost certainly will) Microsoft can capture as much as possible of the $25 million Sun had to post as a bond?"


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