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From: Owner-OS2News@teamos2.org

Subject: OS2News: Status Report on Java for OS/2

Since many people are curious about the status of IBM's port of
Java to OS/2, I have added the latest news from the group
that is actually doing the port. To keep up to date on the latest IBM
Java information, please visit http://ncc.hursley.ibm.com/javainfo/.

This information is also available from the FAQ in my sig and the
WWW discussion forum on the site above. Please note the followup
to this message will default to comp.os.os2.beta.

Enjoy.

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From: Mike Cowlishaw (mfc@vnet.ibm.com) on Wed Jan 17 13:20:07 GMT 1996
Subject: Java for OS/2

Apologies for the lack of response in this forum!  Human error can be
so ingenious -- I'll try and find out what the problem has
been.

The most common question seems to be: 'when?'; the simple answer is
that it will be as soon as we can.  We completed the alpha code port
in September, but I think that's really past its "sell-by-date" now,
so we're working on the beta code level.  The code for that arrived
from Sun in November, and it turned out to be a major change from the
alpha, almost a whole new port.

We've now completed the port except for part of the AWT classes and
are beginning to test; if all goes well it shouldn't be too long
now.

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From: Mike Cowlishaw (mfc@vnet.ibm.com) on Thu Jan 18 08:49:28 GMT 1996
Subject: Responses

<pre>The team are preparing a full set of reponses as I write.  On a date
for the beta, the honest answer is "when it's ready".  We might put
out a version without image support, in which case it could be next
week.  Otherwise a few more weeks after that.

--------------------

From: Richard Baird (rbaird@vnet.ibm.com) on Sat Jan 20 11:48:07 GMT 1996
Subject: Java update from Hursley

Hi,

First of all, thank you all very much for your comments, even though  
(understandably) some of you are getting impatient with us!

This append is to let you know how we're getting on with integrating  
Java into various IBM technologies. We have been "heads down" for the 
last month porting and working on the product integration. Now let me 
try to answer some/all of your questions.

BETA AVAILABILITY - we are finalising the packaging for the IBM beta
of both OS/2 and AIX. We intend to release it by the end of next week,
with a level of function equivalent to 1Beta1. Porting of 1Beta2 is
underway. The README files in the beta releases will identify any
known bugs or operating system pre-reqs.

HOTJAVA - we (like everybody else) await a Java Beta version of
HotJava from SUN. When we get it, we will be able to assess its
relationship with IBM's Web Browsers. It is certainly our 
intention to provide a Java enabled Web Browser on IBM's various
platforms.

OPENDOC & SOM - As many appends have identified, there is a
relationship between the Java object model and Opendoc/SOM. We have
not yet completed the analysis of this complex relationship and until
we have done so we can not comment further. Rest assured that this is
of key interest to IBM as well as yourselves.

NETSCAPE - Details of Netscape's plans can only come from Netscape
themselves. If they choose to port to any IBM platform then that is
their choice.

ENTERPRISE ACCESS (Databases etc) - IBM realises the importance
(better than most) of being able to access enterprise data and services
from any client platform running Java. We are currently in the design
stage of the Java classes required to support this type of access.

JAVA APP. PORTABILITY - in line with all other correct implementations
of the Java environment, applications developed on one platform will
be executable on another platform if they are (a) At the same Java level
(e.g. Alpha apps on Beta levels do not work) and (b) The application
does not use any platform-specific classes.

RELATIONSHIP WITH OREXX - There is no direct relationship between
O-Rexx and Java. The programming languages are different, and attractive
to different communities of programmers.

SERVER SUPPORT e.g. GoServe - Any server can serve Java class files.
NLS - As a forum entry indicates, Java is Unicode-enabled, but this is
not the complete story. IBM is using its skills and knowledge of
internationalisation to ensure that Java matures to support national
language issues.

--------------------

Kris

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Kris Kwilas                                kwilas@uiuc.edu
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Author of the Highly Unofficial IBM OS/2 Beta FAQ(1/21/96)
Available from http://www.students.uiuc.edu/~kwilas/
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