Figuring two heads are better than one, Sun Microsystems Inc has co-opted IBM Corp to help it try and kick JavaOS into play as a serious platform for network computers, terminal replacements, kiosks and other networked clients. They’re even going to give it a new name, JavaOS for Business. Sun and IBM – neither of which can afford for Java to fail – have been working together informally on JavaOS for more than two years without much material result and the proprietary microkernel technology underpinning it developed by JavaSoft was eventually turned over to the charge of the SunSoft group last year. Now IBM is to contribute development resources and code to JavaOS for Business, effectively an evolution of the still-born JavaOS 1.1 for network computers. An OEM version will be available mid-summer and the two companies promise to ship the software on their respective JavaStation and Network Station network computers early next year. SunSoft’s other JavaOS implementations, including JavaOS for GUI-based consumer devices announced last week and an embedded version that’s expected to follow, use a different microkernel based upon the ChorusOS real-time code Sun acquired with Chorus Systemes SA last year. Although dismissing the dual- kernel issue as unproblematic for ISVs given Java’s cross- platform nature, SunSoft admits it wants to merge the two code bases over time. General manager of Sun’s embedded products group Jim Hebert told us last week (CI No 3,375) that his team would provide services enabling existing the 40-odd JavaOS for network computer licensees to migrate to a ChorusOS-based version the system software over time.
Footprint
The companies are positioning JavaOS for Business as client software for enterprises, that can be managed from networked servers. Sun and IBM will use it to try to boost the network computer market hardware, which they have championed against PC desktops, as lowering an organization’s total cost of ownership. Network computer sales have all but stalled due to Java’s immaturity, the lack of a Java operating system, and the plummeting cost of PCs. They declined to say how much memory JavaOS for Business will require to run in, claiming footprint is less of an issue for enterprises than manageability and performance. From what SunSoft was saying we expect JavaOS for Business to include memory-intensive JIT Java just-in-time compiler technologies that will not feature in JavaOS for Consumers. Although IBM has had some success selling Network Stations to replace ‘green screens’ at mainframe sites, Sun’s microSparc IIep RISC-based JavaStation won’t now ship in volume until the second half of the year, two years after its announcement. And, how many more times are we going to hear dawn of a new era, airline reservation systems, hotel reception desks and Java kiosks mentioned in the same sentence? The mainstream media, lauding rare cooperation between IBM and Sun seem to overlook that their previous collaboration on operating systems – remember Solaris-for-PowerPC? – was an ignominious failure.
