DaveNet: Monday, October 6, 1997; by Dave Winer.

Rick Ross's View of Microsoft and Java

From Rick Ross, rick@javalobby.org, in response to A Unique View of Java:

The Java Lobby is by no means harassing Microsoft, as your anonymous writer suggested. Moreover, Microsoft is standing completely apart from all other Java licensees, in a position that is unique and isolated. They created conflict with the Java developer community, and now they are trying to foist the blame elsewhere.

There is an important touchstone at work here. If a major player is TRYING to implement Java portability but fails due to reasonable limitations, then we will try to accept and understand. If a major player is TRYING NOT TO implement Java portability, then we will oppose them as much as we can. Dedication to portability is the heart and soul of Java, and everybody knows it.

I had always felt that Netscape's and Apple's failures to deliver were due to some resources problem, human, technical, or whatever. I have never heard either company state that they are intentionally refusing to ship a compliant Java core platform, or that they wish to. (Some people are pointing out that their track records may be less than perfect here, and we will get into the matter.)

Microsoft, on the other hand, is openly and deliberately trying to attack Java portability. This is serious, and deserves our serious opposition. The position the Java Lobby has taken is one that opposes Microsoft's attack on Java portability, not Microsoft in general. There is a BIG difference.

These are serious times, important issues that may define the shape of technology's future are being decided now. IE4 is a serious, considered attack on Java portability, and thus on the core attraction of Java. It matters to me, and I said so. I will not use IE4, and I will continue to advocate against it.

Rick Ross
The Java Lobby
http://www.javalobby.org/