🚀 go-pugleaf

Mr John Blyth wrote:
 
> When will a JAVA capable browser for the AMIGA surface? More and
> more pages have JAVA applets buried in them, and many sites are
> investigating JAVA for interactive information flows through the
> WEB. Can the developers for IBROWSE, AWEB and VOYAGER (which
> seem to be the main three for the amiga) give some feedback on
> when this capability is likely to appear? IMHO the need for
> JAVA is becoming urgent.
 
FYI...

Haage & Partner Are Bringing the Power of Java to the Amiga

HAAGE & PARTNER NEWS MAY, 1997 

Code name: "MERAPI" 

Java is gathering momentum in the computer market has raised hopes of a
more open, decentralized, and tolerant software future than the
developments of recent years have led us to expect. For Amiga users, it
has given rise to a demand for participation in this
future--participation that can only be provided by a good Java Virtual
Machine implementation (the software engine that executes programs
created in Java) for our machine. 

To meet this demand, Haage & Partner are developing a Java Virtual
Machine (JVM) implementation under the code name *Merapi*. In our
perception, the Java technology has several attractive features
particularly from the Amiga users' point of view: 

     It will bring in new applications. Dozens upon dozens of companies
in the PC software market have already committed themselves to
delivering applications that can run on any machine that supports Java,
breaking at last the old chains of platform incompatibility. Their new
products will now add value to the Amiga as well as to the more common
platforms. 
     As software availability ceases to be a compelling factor in
deciding on a computer platform, the Amiga's friendliness and ease of
use will prove sufficient reason to choose it over eg. Windows or the
Mac OS if one happens to prefer the Amiga computer. 
     The similarity of design principles and flexibility of Java and the
Amiga OS have great synergetic potential: A good JVM implementation can
make it seem as if Java and the Amiga operating system were designed for
each other from the start. 
     Java complements the Amiga system well. Memory protection and
resource tracking, for instance, are integral parts of the Java
environment. Whereas these are merely a duplication of effort when used
under operating systems that already have such features built in, on the
Amiga they very neatly fill in the blanks that many users see in the
Amiga operating system. 

The Merapi project focuses specifically on bringing these benefits to
the Amiga user base. Apart from the obvious goals of compatibility and
the ability to run Java software fast, which all JVM implementations
strive for, Merapi has more characteristic aims. The main ones are: 

     High quality that developers and users alike can depend on for
robustness, security, and longevity. 
     Making the best possible use of what the Amiga OS has to offer.
Rather than attempting to cram UNIX code into an Amiga mold or imitating
existing PC products, Merapi is designed for the Amiga from the ground
up to give you the best possible match. 
     Letting non-Java software, as well as the user, make the best
possible use of what Java has to offer. The services of the Java
subsystem are made available to external software through an open
interface, so the use of Java software is not limited to eye candy
inside a Web browser window. Java will be no second-class citizen in
your system! 

MERAPI project is done by Jeroen Vermeulen in co-operation with the
Storm team. MERAPI will be integrated into Web browsers like VOYAGER NG,
but it will also be a stand-alone JAVA interpreter with just-in-time
compiler (to speeed it up, JIT) to run JAVA applications like Corel
Office for Java. 

MERAPI will also be integrated into the Storm Development System to
enable programmers to write JAVA applications on the Amiga. A port to
p.OS and PowerUP will be done. 

"MERAPI" project is still under development. Project started in late
1996. Release date is about August 97. 

We will release more information on features and prices in June/July. 

"MERAPI" will be the optimal solution for programmers and end-users. 

HAAGE & PARTNER Computer GmbH, PO Box 80, 61191 Rosbach, Germany
Phone: +49 - 6007 - 930050, Fax: +49 - 6007 - 7543
Email: info@haage-partner.com Intenet:
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Haage_Partner/

We develop to PowerUp the Amiga!

Regards,

Rossco
ross@livewire.com.au