Re: Windows XP dropping Java support

Oh Please!

I've seen the back-and-forth of this subject on the PrivateBeta Newsgroups
for Microsoft (yes, I'm running WindowsXP). What seems to be beyond anyone's
comprehension is that the JRE packages are not required in the Windows OS
anyway... What Microsoft kept sticking in was a bastardization of Sun's Java
code that made it more Windows-centric. The newsgroups and newsletters this
week are stuffed to the point of overflowing about how this is either good
or bad, depending on where you stand. I personally don't give a rat's
behind. Here's why:

The "average" user of any platform has more than one browser installed. Why?
Because those who use Windows hear so much about how much better Netscape
allegedly is so they go and download it. Netscape 6 is the newest version
and is being pushed on the Netscape site, and it includes the option to
install the Java JRE package. Once it's installed, guess what? It works with
Internet Explorer, too. Or maybe they've heard that Opera's the better
choice since it's allegedly the fastest browser on earth (and EVERYONE wants
fast nowadays), so they install that. Guess what, it, too includes the
option to install the Java JRE package.

To those who whine that users of the newer versions of Windows without
built-in Java support will cause the demise of Java, try again. MacOS never
had it built in, nor does LINUX. They have to download the JRE packages
themselves, and so will Windows consumers if it's important enough for them
to use the JavaChat applets or to see the nifty "Lake" effect or whatever.
The JRE package takes a little bit to download on a slow connection, but how
has an 8MB filesize ever hampered anyone? If megasized files were such a
problem, they wouldn't be there, nor would they be that popular.

Where do I stand? I'm all in favor of Microsoft dropping their version of
the Java package in favor of the unbastardized, smaller, more stable Java
packages from Sun and IBM. The ONLY thing that comes about from Microsoft
dropping Java is that, gee-whiz, people are gonna have to get the plugin,
much as they have to get the updated Flash and Shockwave players from
Macromedia just to see some nifty animated thing on someone's website.

It really is amazing how people refuse to step back and look at the bigger
picture, instead focusing on one little minor detail and dwelling on it.

Kehvan

----- Original Message -----
From: "Nancy J. Foster" <nancyf(at)quillandmouse.com>
To: <bart(at)gigabee.com>
Cc: <hwg-techniques(at)hwg.org>
Sent: Saturday, July 21, 2001 20:53
Subject: Re: Windows XP dropping Java support


> Bart Szyszka wrote:
> >
> > >My husband just forwarded me an interesting article that I thought many
> > >of you might want to see. If you're building websites that rely on
Java,
> > >there's trouble ahead.
> >
> > I find it interesting that people in general would say that the people
> > who are using Java for their sites are in trouble rather than it being
> > the other way around with Microsoft not being in trouble for not
> > providing its (newer) customers the ability to view sites using Java.
Are
> > people here considering dropping Java support as a result of this
> > decision? And is anyone actually considering looking into the .NET
> > suppliment (if one will exist)?
> >
> > Something else to keep in mind with all of this is that some businesses
> > use Java for more than just little applets and the like. There are jobs
> > and web-based applications at stake.
>
> Hi Bart,
>
> I didn't say "that the people who are using Java for their sites are in
> trouble" -- merely pointed out ">there's trouble ahead". I agree,
> there's a lot of Java being used for a multitude of reasons. I'm no fan
> of MS and its method of operation.
>
> --
> Nancy Foster
> President
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------
> Quill & Mouse Studios, Inc.  http://www.quillandmouse.com
> Graphic Design -- Computer Typography -- Website Creation
> ---------------------------------------------------------
>
>

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