>> 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


I'm embarrassed to be making so many posts to this thread, but I do believe the decision by Microsoft to drop Java as a language will go down in the history books as one of those classic business mistakes.

I found this:

http://industry.java.sun.com/javanews/stories/story2/0,1072,20121,00.html

SANTA CRUZ, Calif., Nov 2, 1999 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Evans Marketing Services today announced that a recent study of over 500 software developers in North America, conducted last month, showed that 44% are now using Java some portion of the time, continuing a steady upward growth pattern established over the last few years.

In addition, the developers themselves forecast that Java use will increase to 57% by next year. Usage patterns outside North America currently stand at 43% currently using Java, with 61% projecting they will use the language next year.



I also found a survey that showed that 57% of programmers use Visual Basic as one of their two most important languages. But that's where we are today. How many folks here believe that VB will be more important five years from now than Java?

Peter