>> Oh, absolutely. MS is saying if we can't play the Java game by our own rules we won't play at all.
>
>I don't think so. I think it may have to do with the DOJ and making the government a little happier. BUt I think they main reason is the overall disappointing turnout of Java as a language in general. Especially after nobody (and this isn't only MS) managed to create a true Java compiler that created usable output that performed well.
>
>Markus


Hi, Markus.

Thumbing through the current Information Week mag (Nov. 29), I see three articles about Java and none about any other language. Admittedly, articles do not equal IT projects, but I don't see the interest in Java fading away.

What is the alternative to Java for IT departments around the world? C/C++? VFP? VB? Delphi? T/SQL? Cobol? Forth?

C/C++ is integral to much that we do but as you say "life's too short to code in C."

VFP is doomed or destined to be a niche player.

VB means Microsoft and there are too many major players out there (IBM, HP, CA, Novell, etc.) that will not tie themselves to a non-standard language that is controlled by MS.

Need I go on? What language do you think IBM will focus on for the next decade?

It is only a matter of time before a CPU chip with an embedded JVM is built, and then the speed issue vanishes.

Sun is doing it best to retard the development of a Java standard but I believe the language will succeed despite them.

Peter

P.S. I'm ignorant of the details of the language so my thinking is based on what I read and reasonable projections.