IBM, Sun To Introduce Java OS

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March 31, 1998 (12:00 AM EST)

By Jeff Bliss,

The efforts of Sun and IBM to develop a flavor of Java acceptable to corporations will bear fruit Wednesday with the unveiling of a jointly developed operating system.

Java OS for Business, expected to ship this summer, is an important attempt to make Java and network computing palatable to major corporate environments, sources said.

"Nobody's cooperated on an operating system like this. This represents a significant alliance," said one source familiar with the companies' plans.

As first reported by CRN, Java OS is geared toward businesses running thin clients in the enterprise, the sources said. Existing applications, including those in the Windows environment, can run on the operating system, sources said.

Backing from IBM, based in Armonk, N.Y., and Sun, based in Mountain View, Calif., should give Java OS for Business needed cachet with corporate America, the sources said.

"If they can get an enhanced Java operating system out and big business customers use it, it will make [the product] a standard," said one source briefed on Java OS for Business.

The two companies also will market the operating system jointly to OEMs, the sources said.

Sun and IBM will attempt to sign on many of the 40 vendors that agreed to support the original Java OS.

IBM executives told CRN in November the operating system would be supported by a management suite that will consist of current offerings, including Workspace on Demand, Network Computing on Demand and Network Station Manager.