AS/400 house JD Edwards & Co Inc has Java-enabled its AS/400 graphical front end WorldVision, to open up applications to users on the Internet, intranet and especially to selected customers and suppliers. The company says the fact that Web browsers and servers have become commodity items enables its customers to open up their legacy applications to a far wider user base, and especially to their customers and suppliers, without having to supply special software or modems or any other communications protocols. The Java-enabled WorldVision runs on a Windows NT server, which acts as a front end into the company’s AS/400 applications. Customers also need a Web browser and at least version A6 or higher of JD Edwards’ WorldSoftware. The NT server will dynamically download Java applications, which at run-time will retrieve requested graphical panels from the Web server and enable access to existing WorldVision applications. The Java product will not be available until the autumn. According to senior technologist John Schiff, this is because the company is waiting for Java standards to settle. The company’s OneWorld software already generates Java, and Schiff says this is in line with the company’s Java everywhere policy.
