Toshiba Information Systems Japan yesterday announced a rival Java operating systems to JavaSoft’s offering, called JVOS, apparently as an alternative to Windows on personal computers. In a confusing announcement, made even more so by the only contacts being soundly asleep in Japan, Toshiba appears to have come up with an OS to run on Intel-based personal computers, based on its micro-Itron embedded real-time operating system, proposed a stripped-down hardware standard based on Intel x86 architecture called the Java PC and licensed the SuperCede virtual machine from Asymetrix, browser from Netscape and Castanet push technology from Marimba. Toshiba is a licensee of JavaSoft’s JavaOS but has chosen to pass it over in favor of its own technology, with the Asymetrix VM embedded inside. Toshiba’s hardware division will apparently build machines to the stripped down hardware spec, but the company did not provide any details of the spec. Toshiba also said, perhaps somewhat naively, that JVOS could run as an alternative on a dual operating system PC, running both Windows 95 and JVOS. Asymetrix’ VP internet tools Shabbir Dahod reckons the Java PC has the best chance of succeeding of any of the network computer models. JVOS will include its own file system and so could stand alone, but would only be able to run Java applications. JVOS will be available in the third quarter for licensing, when the Toshiba machines are also likely to appear, presumably accompanied by machines from third party manufacturers.
