Java War Rages on Between Sun, Microsoft

Sun is claiming more than $1 billion in damages from Microsoft's decision to remove Java compatibility from its new Windows XP operating system. Java, which was introduced by Sun in 1995, is an advanced software programming language that serves as a cross-platform technology, connecting applications on disparate computers or operating systems. Microsoft's decision to drop Java support came after a lengthy court battle with Sun in which the computer maker accused Microsoft of violating its Java technology licensing agreement and shipping versions of Java that were compatible only with Windows. Microsoft officials say they were simply attempting to make Java work more efficiently on the Windows platform.

The initial dispute was resolved through a settlement in January of last year when Microsoft agreed to pay Sun $20 million and accept the termination of the prior Java licensing deal. While both sides claimed victory, it became clear that Microsoft was facing a new adversary in Java.

Last July, Microsoft announced Windows XP would not feature Java Virtual Machine technology, which supports Java-based software programs and applications. Microsoft officials say the company was forced into the decision by Sun's lawsuit because the settlement prohibited Microsoft from making changes to JVM to improve it for Windows XP. Sun says the settlement was designed to prevent Microsoft from making more Java implementations that work only on Windows, which would have negated the nature of the cross-platform technology. Windows XP users are still able to download a plug-in version of JVM from Sun, but Sun officials consider it a major inconvenience that drastically impedes the adoption of Java.

Analyst firm Gartner reported last summer that Microsoft's decision represented "a minor blow" to Java on the client side and would have virtually no effect on server implementations of Java.

Soon after the decision was announced, Sun began running advertisements urging consumers and end users to demand Java support for Windows XP. In addition, the company worked diligently to gather support from the developer, solution provider and end user communities for Java. Recently, Microsoft has positioned its .Net platform against Java in the Web services market and has tried to convert Java users to its own technology. Sun, along with other major Java vendors such as Oracle and BEA Systems, is attempting to build momentum in the Java developer community with new products.

"We need to make sure the Java community stays healthy, strong and aligned," Michael Bohlig, director of global ISV alliances at Sun, said last month. "Haven't we learned that a community is better than a monopoly? After all, the top ISVs like BEA, Oracle and SAP are putting their Web services strategies behind Java, not .Net."

Microsoft opponents say the software giant sees Java as a major threat because the technology allows competing applications and middleware to work with Windows.

"Microsoft abandoned Java because they realized they couldn't lock people into Windows with it," says Scott Dietzen, chief technology officer at BEA.

Sun is now seeking $1 billion in damages from lost license fees and Java-related sales. The lawsuit also asks the court to force Microsoft to include Java support for Windows XP. While Microsoft has yet to release an official response to the new lawsuit, company spokesmen have said Sun's case is without merit. One obstacle for Sun will be proving actual monetary damage because the company offers JVM for free. Sun will have to focus on showing that its other software products that run Java were hurt by Microsoft's decision.

However, Sun believes it has momentum on its side. Despite Microsoft's antitrust settlement with the Justice Department last year, which Sun officials felt was a weak punishment for the monopolist that amounted to a slap on the wrist, Sun says the U.S. Court of Appeals decision, which found Microsoft guilty of illegally maintaining its Windows monopoly provides solid ground for Sun's lawsuit (Microsoft, Justice Department Agree to Settle).

And while nine states dropped out of the antitrust case, nine others are still pursuing stricter and more well-defined sanctions against Microsoft, some of which concern Java. The states, which include California and Massachusetts, are asking that Microsoft be forced to sell versions of Windows without tied applications such as Internet Explorer and also include Java support.

Publicly, Microsoft has been relatively quiet about its strategy for Java. However, in depositions taken last month in the states' case against Microsoft, both Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and Microsoft vice president James Allchin, who runs the Windows division, answered questions concerning the integration of competing products with Windows and Java.

Ballmer said during a Feb. 8 deposition that integration with other technology and products is part of Microsoft's strategy and that the company, "continues to improve its products by integrating in new capabilities.

"Windows XP has kicked off, in my opinion, another wave of industry innovation and excitement, consumers see the value, they like what's in the product. ISVs are starting to come up with new things that they do on top of Windows XP, and if we stop innovating, we stop integrating new capabilities into Windows, yes, this will further harm consumers in that regard," Ballmer said during the deposition.

In a Feb. 13 deposition, Allchin said Windows XP doesn't contain technology that competes with Java. Both Allchin and Ballmer said there was no way to remove features such as Internet Explorer from Windows and that if the court demanded such action, it would ruin Microsoft's operating system business. Ballmer also added that adding Java support for Windows XP would be too costly for Microsoft.