Open Jav a

Regarding "Industry Warfare: What's Up with That?" (October Editorial), I think Sun has done a much better job being open about Java than Microsoft has about ActiveX. Java is sufficiently well documented and well designed that several implementations exist. The JDK 1.2 APIs provide simple-to-use, cross-platform access to the functionality sufficient for implementing most business and home applications.

ActiveX is for all practical purposes defined by its single implementation (all versions for other platforms that I know of are based on the same code base used for the Windows implementation), and that relies heavily on the vaguely specified, constantly changing set of APIs that make up Win32. To me, these differences mean that Java is mo re open and that Sun and other Java companies are more desirable vendors to work with than Microsoft.

Thomas M. Breuel
San Jose, CA

I don't disagree that in year 1 of Java, Sun has done a good job of keeping its proprietary platform open, if you'll forgive that oxymoron. Or that Microsoft hasn't done that over the years. But I don't think the entire IT community -- or other Java-based companies -- wants to depend on Sun's good will for years to come to guarantee their investment in openness. -- Mark Schlack, editor in chief