Sun / Microsoft agreement - what does it mean?

Business and Project Management Discussions
#1

What does the new Sun / Microsoft agreement mean for client side Java - applets and webstart?

http://www.sun.com/smi/Press/sunflash/2004-04/sunflash.20040402.3.html

The only bit relating directly to client side Java is this: “Microsoft Support for Java: The companies have agreed that Microsoft may continue to provide product support for the Microsoft Java Virtual Machine that customers have deployed in Microsoft’s products.”

Does this mean that the majority of clients still will have a JVM by default and this JVM will be 1.1.7 MS? Is this a pushback for the rollout of 1.2+ JVMs? Does Sun have any strategies for upgrading end users’ JVM?

#2

Most (danish) internet home banking systems I know of explicitly requires MS Java 1.1. They will not run with Sun’s VM.

This quite effectively stops the spread of Java 1.2+ applet support.

This settlement can keep MS Java 1.1 around forever.

#3

Since recent JREs are shipped with most new PCs, people should be bugging those banks that their outdated crap isn’t working.
MS/Sun agreement or not.

#4

Where do you live? I’ve never heard about PC’s coming with Java installed ;p