Ever since the three-way deal between America Online Inc, Netscape Communications Corp and Sun Microsystems Inc left Sun with two application server platforms, Kiva and NetDynamics, rumors of app-server-related conflict have been leaking out of Sun. Now Zack Rinat, the co-founder and CEO of NetDynamics who became the VP of the business group after Sun bought his baby in July 1998, has reportedly left the company. His departure raises more questions than it resolves. As BEA’s WebLogic and Bluestone’s eponymous application server continue to gain ground, just what does Sun think it is doing in this market?
