Sun Microsystems takes Java 2 to Linux

Sun Microsystems yesterday announced the availability of the Java 2 platform on Linux in bid to win the hearts of developers interested in an alternative to the Microsoft development environment.

Linux joins a number of operating systems that already support Java 2, including SGI Irix, Compaq Tru64 Unix and Microsoft Windows.

Martin Brampton, chief analyst for Bloor Research, said the move was, "a bit late but welcome. It shows Linux's growing popularity. A lot of developers are keen to work on Linux as an alternative to being in the Microsoft world all the time."

Sun said in a statement that the plan to ship a Linux version of the Java 2 platform, standard edition (J2SE), will create a union to "satisfy the growing desire among developers to utilise the power" of both technologies.

The distribution, which will be managed by Inprise Corporation, will "enable developers to easily and quickly deploy Java technology based applications on Linux servers, as well as make it simpler to port existing Java applications to Linux," Sun said.

Shipments of Jbuilder, Inprise's development environment will include the release and in early 2000, Sun and Inprise will ship their final Linux port.

Brampton said: "If popular development tools are on Linux, then some developers will port applications written already and make them available to Linux. However, moving Delphi across to Linux would make a bigger impact."

George Paolini, vice president, Java community development for Sun, said that Linux developers have a, "reason to smile as we've executed their requests to marry the Linux operating system with a world class development environment, Java 2."

Other Linux ports of the Java platform are available, but Sun said its port is the "first commercial grade effort."

The first release candidate is available at http://developer.java.sun.com/developer/earlyAccess/j2sdk122