Sun Microsystems Inc. enjoyed a busy week in which two major events gave the
giant company cause to celebrate.
First, the firm kicked off its fifth JavaOne Developer Conference Monday in
which it showed off its latest wireless technology products and signed up
more than 500 companies to work with its Java 2 platform.
And second, the axe fell on Microsoft
Corp. Tuesday as Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson ordered that the software
giant be split in two.
At the San Francisco-based conference, 23,000 attendees gathered to
witness Sun roll out its Java 2 Platform,
Micro Edition technology and announced the creation of the “wireless Java
connection,” a program designed to provide a host of services to companies
working with Java technology in the wireless space.
Included in the delivery of J2ME are the shipment of the Connected Limited
Device Configuration, based on the K Virtual Machine, and early access for
the Mobile Information Device (MID) profile. The MID profile extends the
functionality of mobile devices with the ability to download new
applications and services to the device across a network and access these
applications when disconnected.
The early access MID profile can be downloaded from the Web site here.
Turning to the Microsoft case, McNealy said the case is important since giving consumers choice is what the Internet is all about.
Sun also inked deal with players in the red-jot mobile
phone market, in which the company agreed to create wireless devices based
on the the Java 2 platform with heavyweights such as
Sony Corp. , Nokia Corp.
and One 2 One.
Looking to boost its already well-known presence, Sun also agreed to host a
contest with American Express
Co. in which developers are encouraged to create new
Java Card technology applications for the venerable credit card firm’s Blue
card. Dubbed “Code Blue,” the contest offered a first prize of $50,000.
“Nobody wants to go back to the days of one telephone company. Microsoft has expressed no regret for its
actions throughout these proceedings, and the company has not recognized any
wrongdoing. This is why a combination of structural and conduct remedies is
the right and essential means to deal with Microsoft’s continued abuse of
its monopoly power.”
