Sonki,
I'm not sure how long this thing will last, but, having
just read the text of Sun's lawsuit & the TLD, it looks
to me like they have MSFT dead-to-rights.
Whether or not MSFT has to include RMI & JNI & what extensions
they may or may not make to Java doesn't appear to be an
issue, at least according to what is stated in section
2.6 of the TLD.
All that is required of MSFT is that they pass the Java
compatibility tests, as other licensees have done. Sun
doesn't say what they have to have in the code, only that
they must pass the tests.
If MSFT does NOT pass the tests, they have a period of time
to fix the problems, with the assistance of Sun, to get
everything to work. The TLD does state, unequivocally, that
the compatibility tests have to be passed before the product
is made commercially available.
It seems as though MSFT is trying to put their own spin on
the situation, but I'm not convinced that they expect to win
in a court of law. Steve Ballmer's adolescent bravado not-
withstanding, it looks, on the face of it, that they have done
pretty much what Sun has claimed.
I think that bodes well for Sun in the court of public opinion,
which is where the real action is. Scott McNealy stated that
the lawsuit would show MSFT with its hand in the cookie jar.
It seems to have done just that.
It looks to me like MSFT is diving ever-deeper into the content-
provider market. I think it's a good move on their part. They
might as well kiss their ass goodbye in corporate computing.
cheers,
cherylw |
