Stressing a commitment to open standards, Sun Microsystems Inc. descended on
the XML 2000 conference in Washington Monday with a couple of Web
development announcements.
Sun lifted the curtain on two Java application programming interfaces (APIs)
for the Extensible Markup Language (XML) — the Java API for XML Messaging
(JAXM) and the Java API for XML Parsing (JAXP) and ventured deeper into its
partnership with the Apache Software Foundation to create a new XML toolkit.
The technology giant hopes Monday’s launches, along with its purchases of
data storage management company HighGround Systems Inc. and software maker
grapeVINE Technologies, will fuel its push to maximize its B2B e-commerce
capabilities for client companies.
The interfaces, with the Java API for XML Data Binding (JAXB), form the core
of XML support in the Java 2 platform. These Java
technologies for XML offer developers a powerful API tool set for developing
applications using Java platform’s portable code and XML’s portable data.
JAXM, JAXP, and the forthcoming JAXB are being developed through the Java
Community Process program, the open, community-based organization that
propels the Java platform. JAXP, JAXM and JAXB are expected to be included
in the next releases of the Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition and Java 2
Platform, Standard Edition.
George Paolini, vice president, Technology Evangelism, Sun Microsystems
Inc., said the pairing of his firm’s Java platform with XML will allow
enterprises to simplify and lower the cost of information sharing.
“The early access availability of these key Java technologies means
developers can get a jumpstart on developing next generation B2B
applications,” Paolini said.
Both APIs are downloadable free of charge through Sun’s Java Developer Connection.
Sun has also been tinkering with a new Java-based toolkit for Scalable
Vector Graphics with Apache Software Foundation. Called Batik, it is suited
for the Internet and will probably become a solution for delivering graphics
over the Web.
Released in beta form at the
conference by Apache, it received support from a number of firms in addition
to Sun, including CSIRO, Eastman Kodak Company, and ILOG. Sun said its works
to join forces with other firms to learn from and share information about
Web development as part of open standards-based partnerships.
Batik is the third Apache project to which Sun has donated code and
technical resources. Other projects include Jakarta, a collection of
initiatives around JavaServer Pages™ technology and Java Servlets
technologies, and Xerces 2, an XML Parser.
