|
Switching Channels (11/17/98)
|
 
|
| | |
Things are a little slow right now on "Redmond Justice;" courtroom proceedings involve philosophical arguments about whether the "integration" of Internet Explorer and Windows helps or hurts the consumer. Not overly thrilling, at least not in a soap-operatic sense. The good news, however, is that things are heating up in another Microsoft-related lawsuit (that legal department must be logging a lot of hours these days). Remember how our old friend Sun sued Microsoft for contract violation? When Microsoft shipped a bastardized version of Java that effectively crippled the language's whole cross-platform appeal, Sun dragged Microsoft into court. That lawsuit certainly hasn't caused nearly as much noise as "Redmond Justice," but it's progressing nicely and things are getting interesting.
According to InfoWorld Electric, Sun's been granted another preliminary injunction in the case. The first, granted last March, required that Microsoft remove the "Java-Compatible" logo from all of its products that used the tainted Java-- including Internet Explorer and its Software Development Kit for Java. This latest one is even more severe, however: Judge Ronald Whyte has ordered Microsoft to actually change its products so that they can pass a Sun Java compatibility test. In order to do that, Microsoft would have to redo its Java Virtual Machine and incorporate it into IE, Windows 98, Visual J++, and anything else that currently uses the non-compliant Java. Analysts are calling this prospect a "logistical nightmare," especially if Microsoft only has 90 days in which to comply.
Of course, the technically-simpler solution would be to keep the tainted Java but remove all references to "Java" from the products. That creates an interesting marketing scenario, however-- after all, how do you sell Visual J++ if you can't call it a Java programming environment? Perhaps Microsoft can just trademark a new name for their "unique" implementation: "Internet Explorer 4.0-- now fully Javahh™-compliant!" Maybe no one will read the fine print...
| |
| |
 |
SceneLink (1155)
|  |
 |
|
And Now For A Word From Our Sponsors |
| | | |
|
| |
|
 | | The above scene was taken from the 11/17/98 episode: November 17, 1998: The Demo Days program keeps growing and multiplying; where will it all end? Meanwhile, an old screwball scheme resurfaces and sinks for good, and Sun wins another round in its legal battle to make Microsoft play fair in the Java game...
Other scenes from that episode: 1153: Pushing Those iMacs (11/17/98) If it ain't broke, don't fix it-- and use it every chance you get. That's the attitude that Apple's taking when it comes to the wildly successful Apple Demo Days program. For quite a while now, Apple's been taking volunteers from the Mac community and setting them up in CompUSA stores (and, more recently, Best Buy outlets as well) on special occasions like the debut of the iMac or Mac OS 8.5... 1154: Old Ghosts Fade Away (11/17/98) We swear, stuff changes so quickly in Apple's world, it's not too difficult to get surprised by a blast from the past. Remember a couple of years ago when Apple had plans to open a string of "Apple Café" Internet coffeehouses?...
Or view the entire episode as originally broadcast... | |  |
|
|
