Microsoft Java Virtual Machine

The Microsoft Java Virtual Machine is a proprietary Java Virtual Machine computer program from Microsoft. It was first made available for Internet Explorer version 3 so that users could run Java applets when browsing on the World Wide Web. It was the fastest Windows-based implementation of a Java virtual machine for the first few years after its release.^[1] Microsoft ultimately discontinued it in 2001 because of accusations that they were trying to kill Java in the marketplace and a subsequent lawsuit from Sun Microsystems.

History

It won the PC Magazine Editor's choice awards in 1997 and 1998 for best Java support. In 1998 a new release included the Java Native Interface which supplemented Microsoft's proprietary Raw Native Interface (RNI) and J/Direct. Microsoft claimed to have the fastest Java implementation for Windows, although IBM also made that claim in 1999 and beat the Microsoft and Sun virtual machines in the Javaworld Volano test.^[1]

By producing its own virtual machine, Microsoft was also trying to remove competition in the marketplace for its own products. A Memorandum of the United States in Support of Motion for Preliminary Injunction in the case of United States of America vs. Microsoft shows that Microsoft wanted to kill Java in the marketplace.

In short, Microsoft feared and sought to impede the development of network effects that cross-platform technology like Netscape Navigator and Java might enjoy and use to challenge Microsoft's monopoly. Another internal Microsoft document indicates that the plan was not simply to blunt Java/browser cross-platform momentum, but to destroy the cross-platform threat entirely, with the "Strategic Objective" described as to "Kill cross-platform Java by grow[ing] the polluted Java market."^[2]

Sun vs. Microsoft settlement

In January 2001, Sun Microsystems, the creator of Java, and Microsoft settled a 1997 suit for what Sun claimed was Microsoft's improper use of Sun's Java technology. Microsoft paid Sun $20 million and the two agreed to a plan for Microsoft to phase out products that included the older version of Microsoft Java that allegedly infringed on Sun's Java copyrights and trademarks.

• Office XP Developer
• Office 2000 Developer
• Office 2000 Premium Service Release 1
• Microsoft BackOffice Server 2000
• Internet Security and Acceleration Server(ISA) 2000
• Internet Explorer 5.5
• Visual Studio 6 Microsoft Developer Edition
• Windows 98 and Windows Me

The Microsoft Java Virtual Machine was discontinued in 2001 in response to the Sun Microsystems lawsuit. Microsoft continued to offer support until December 31, 2007.

Windows XP

See also: Windows XP

The initial edition Windows XP RTM did not ship with a Java virtual machine 2001, due to the settlement. This forced users that wanted to run Java Applets in Internet Explorer to download and install either the Sun Java virtual machine, or locate a copy of the Microsoft Java virtual machine elsewhere.

Service Pack 1 (SP1) for Windows XP was released on September 9, 2002. It contained post-RTM security fixes and hot-fixes, compatibility updates, optional .NET Framework support, and enabled technologies for new devices such as Tablet PCs. It also included the Microsoft Java virtual machine.^[3]

On February 3, 2003, Microsoft released Service Pack 1 (SP1) again as Service Pack 1a (SP1a). This release removed Microsoft's Java virtual machine as a result of the lawsuit with Sun Microsystems. ^[4]

References

External links

• Microsoft Java home page
• Microsoft Java transition FAQ
• Award-Winning Virtual Machine Continues to Provide Fastest, Most Integrated Java Language Support. Microsoft Press release, Dec. 7, 1998
• Darryl K. Taft - Microsoft to Junk Flagship Products, Cites Java Settlement. December 5, 2003. eWeek
• Joe Wilcox and Stephen Shankland - Microsoft's Java decision a mixed bag. cNet, July 18, 2001
• Microsoft Virtual Machine at Java virtual machine.net