Sun Asks Court to Enforce Compatibility With Windows
May 14, 1998 - 0:0
WASHINGTON Sun Microsystems asked a court Tuesday to force software rival Microsoft to include software compatible with Sun's Java platform on the new Windows 98 system. Sun said it was seeking two injunctions in a federal court in San Jose, California, alleging copyright infringement and unfair competition. During a teleconference, Alan Baratz, Sun's president of Java's software division, said Sun is not suing to stop Microsoft shipping its Windows 98 operating system.
Sun said it has asked the court to require that each copy of Windows 98 having Java content be shipped with a compatible implementation of the Java platform. Java was developed by Sun as a system that can use software for a variety of computers regardless of the operating system. As such, it is considered a threat to Microsoft, which makes the operating systems for most new personal computers.
Sun has already claimed in a lawsuit that Microsoft's Internet software contains certain elements that are incompatible with the Java platform. Sun has claimed that Microsoft, in violation of a licensing agreement with Sun, is attempting to break the cross- platform compatibility made possible by Java by using technology that works only with Microsoft's products. Microsoft's Windows 98 software is already the object of a federal antitrust investigation, but it was not clear whether the federal government would be seeking to halt shipment of the system as it investigates allegations of monopolistic practices.
(AFP)
Sun said it has asked the court to require that each copy of Windows 98 having Java content be shipped with a compatible implementation of the Java platform. Java was developed by Sun as a system that can use software for a variety of computers regardless of the operating system. As such, it is considered a threat to Microsoft, which makes the operating systems for most new personal computers.
Sun has already claimed in a lawsuit that Microsoft's Internet software contains certain elements that are incompatible with the Java platform. Sun has claimed that Microsoft, in violation of a licensing agreement with Sun, is attempting to break the cross- platform compatibility made possible by Java by using technology that works only with Microsoft's products. Microsoft's Windows 98 software is already the object of a federal antitrust investigation, but it was not clear whether the federal government would be seeking to halt shipment of the system as it investigates allegations of monopolistic practices.
(AFP)