By Suzanna Kerridge, 9 December 1998 00:25
NEWS Microsoft's decision not to appeal against the US district court order requiring it to comply with Sun's 100 per cent pure Java has come as a surprise to the head of the UK's Java Forum, Simon Moores. Speaking exclusively to Silicon.com, he said: "I'm surprised it happened so suddenly, I thought they would at least shift to an appeal." Microsoft has posted a 100 per cent pure Java version of Java Virtual Machine (JVM) for Windows and Internet Explorer on the Web. Last month a US Judge ordered the company to make changes to its Java products to support Sun's Java Native Interface technology. Microsoft was given 90 days to comply. Joe Herman, marketing manager at Microsoft's platform division, said it was the "first step to coming into compliance with the Judge's order". However, to reach full compliance the company must include the JVM in all future versions of Windows and Internet Explorer and modify Java development tools. But Moores claimed the "sensible people" in Microsoft had seen the light. "It's a pragmatic company that is commercially driven. The sensible people have suddenly realised where the industry is. Drifting in this direction is necessary for its own survival." "It's a bit like King Canute ordering the tide to go out but being enveloped by a tide of support. Microsoft now has to do what it did a long time go and make an investment in following the Java direction."
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