At the Crossroads

I agree that Sun must demonstrate -- not just assert -- that the Java chip delivers the needed performance. I think you miss the boat, though, when you say that portability is a concern to Sun and Apple but not to the majority of users. When business managers scream for applications that can leverage the Internet to deliver a service or product anywhere, on any kind of customer computer, portability is no longer a theoretical issue but a pressing concern. While prior technologies may have attempted similar things, they didn't exist in the context of today's need for pervasive computing in a heterogeneous, networked world. Meanwhile, for more on Java as a softwar e platform, see "Today the Web, Tomorrow the World," this month's Cover Story. -- Mark Schlack, editor in chief