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IBM, OS/2, and Java

Ok, I've been checking around some today and have come up with the 
following.  Most of this is from an internal forum, but the forum is marked
as Non-Confidential, so if any IBMers are reading this -- cut me some 
slack. :)

>From what I gather, IBM is *porting* the Sun code, not a clean-room re-write.
This is supported by the following statements (author's name withheld):

  In answer to the most frequent technical question I've been asked, the
  initial package for internal use will be essentially a clone of Sun's 
  NT package, except that all the binaries are for OS/2 of course.  This
  package will probably include and match the documentation for the 1a2 
  level (though some parts, e.g., audio, are based on 1a3 code).        

as well as:

  Let me be clear:                                                   
                                                                   
  * The code is *not* ready yet (still some essential function     
    missing/unported)                                              
                                                                   
  * We are working as hard as we can to get it ready (like 7 days a
    week since 1st July)                                           

and the following from the statement of purpose IBM has for each forum:

  * This forum is for specific non-confidential discussion of the      *
  * IBM OS/2 port of Sun Microsystems' Java technology.                *

But appearently, the legal position is sticky as the following is also
included in the forum header:
  
  * - Please PLEASE do NOT download source from the Sun website - you  *
  *   cannot do that without implicating IBM in terms and conditions   *
  *   inappropriate for us. Downloading source without IBM legal       *
  *   clearance is a career-limiting experience.                       *

The following statement was made on the forum by one of the developers:

  It's coming, hopefully within a week or so.  Please see forum header,
  etc.  At the moment, we do have Java for AIX ready for internal use. 

That was on 9/2.  I'm going to ask around about whether it is a true port
and what it's current status is.

When IBM goes into 7-day work mode, it means they are really near
completion.  I know because we are just about to enter it for a month long
marathon before releasing the Taligent (CommonPoint 1.0) SDK for OS/2. 

Anyway, I still think we should continue on course, but depending on the
quality and public availability of IBM's port we may wish to reconsider at
some future date.  My main motivation was not to *do a port* but rather to
ensure that OS/2 has a Java browser available (for my use as well as the
sake of the OS).

Well, just thought I'd keep you guys informed of what's happening on the
IBM end of things.

=========================================================================
Brett Wooldridge | "I believe OS/2 is destined to be the most important
brettw@io.com    |  operating system, and possibly program, of all time."
                 \____                                  -- Bill Gates
IBM Taligent Team     \
brettw@austin.ibm.com | Amiga3K-NetBSD <=== ethernet ===> 486/100Mhz-Warp
=========================================================================