As I See It...

A weekly commentary
by James E. Felton

February 5, 1997

By now most everyone who is even slightly familiar with computers has heard of Java. And most everyone with a personal computer has seen a Java applet. In fact, in the relatively short time since Netscape first incorporated Java capabilities into its browser, Java, Netscape, and Internet have become three of the most popular buzzwords in computing. Rapid increases in online usage suggest that people sense that this is all leading us somewhere. But where? What is all of this really about?

Well, lets back up for a minute to put it in perspective...

Throughout the seventies networked computers were the only way to go. Though mainframe computers were large, and expensive they were also fast, and powerful. A business could buy a mainframe (or mini-computer), and put an inexpensive terminal on virtually every employees desk. Businesses loved networked computers because they added a level of communications, computation, and information storage that had never before been possible. But, unfortunately, there was no good way to extend this power beyond the walls of a business. So, gradually, a market for personal computers began to develop.

The first personal computers were small, slow, and lacked useful applications (see history of Microsoft). They were no threat to the mainframes, and minicomputers that handled data for large businesses. But demand for computing power beyond the office walls fueled rapid development. And a little company called Microsoft was hired under contract to IBM to create an operating system for personal computers. Instead of creating one operating system, they created two! One for IBM (now known as OS/2), and one for themselves (now known as dos/Windows)!

Clearly, Microsoft has little interest in networked computing. After all networked computing is the antithesis of personal computers. So...

In the early stages of the Internet's development Microsoft shrugged off any willingness to participate. After all, Microsoft's interest was in making money through the sale of it's operating system, and related software. The Internet was no threat to the Windows platform. It was mostly just a text based means of communication used by scientists at different locations. Who, in their right mind, would want to send a 400k bitmap (picture), let alone try to run a huge application, through a wire at 2400 baud?

Well, it wasn't long before 14.4 modems became available. At 14.4 sending, and receiving graphical images became a bit more practical. And compression algorithms such as gif (Graphics Interchange File Format), and jpeg (Joint Photographics Experts Group) were developed that made it even more practical. Gradually, online services such as Compuserve, America Online, and Prodigy began making online communications easily accessable to the general public. Since then bandwidth, and online usage have both grown steadily. Generally, an increase in one has led to an increase in the other.

Then, in 1994 a little company now known as Netscape decided to offer a free "web browser" on the Internet. Microsoft still didn't view this as a threat to it's PC dominance so it made no effort to participate. But, a year later, Netscape added Java capabilities to it's web browser. Suddenly, Microsoft became very aware of the threat. Netscape's use of Java had potential as a means of Internet computing. Something had to be done, fast!

Microsoft didn't have time to build a web browser from the ground up so in August 1995 Microsoft released Windows 95 with a built-in browser it bought from Spyglass, and a introduced "The Microsoft Network" which it hoped would lead the rapidly growing online community away from Netscape, and Java. It didn't work. Despite the fact that Win95 came pre-installed on virtually every new PC, complete with a cute little desktop icon that would connect the PC's owner to the Microsoft Network, few people used the service. I joined Microsoft Network in it's second week of existance so it was easy for me to see why. Unlike other online services, you needed to have a minimum of a Pentium 60 with 16 meg. of RAM, and 28.8 modem before you could really enjoy MSN's intense graphical interface. Few people were going to rush out and buy all this stuff when they could enjoy other online services with the hardware they already had.

Meanwhile, use of Netscape's browser was growing steadily as developers began to use Java to add features known as applets to Internet web sites. And Internet Service Providers began springing up everywhere offering "no frills" unlimited access to the Internet for low monthly rates.

Microsoft's "Network" wasn't growing nearly as fast as use of Netscape's browser. For the first time Microsoft was getting beat at it's own game! So Microsoft begrudgingly signed a licensing agreement with Sun, and built Java capabilities into a new version of it's browser while at the same time adding it's own competing proprietary feature known as Active X.

So, now developers have two major tools for adding interactivity to web sites. One is a proprietary tool that belongs to Microsoft, and only works on "Windows" PCs. The other is an "open standard" tool that works on every computer platform. Naturally, Microsoft wants developers to use it's proprietary tool, Active X, instead of Java. That way, even if Internet computing does become widespread (which it will), Microsoft will control it as it does the personal computer market. For this reason Microsoft is spending millions of dollars attempting to popularize the use of Active X.

Developers, businesses, and individuals need to understand that it is not to their benefit to use Active X. Besides the obvious advantages of a universal language like Java that works on every platform, Active X is inherently dangerous! But then, isn't that exactly what Microsoft wants? To make network computing so dangerous that people will gladly choose personal computers, and packaged software?

I believe that despite Microsoft's efforts, Java, and network computing will eventually win. But it may be a long, and torturous battle. Microsoft has literally billions of dollars that it will use to try to derail Java, and networked computing. After all, it's future depends on it. But contrary to the propaganda put out by Microsoft, and PC makers, Java, and networked computing offer unparalleled freedom. Freedom from constantly buying expensive upgrades. Freedom from dependence on a particular platform. Freedom from the hassles of operating a complicated personal computer.

When people tell you that network computers are "dumb terminals", and say we've been down this road before they are half right. We've had terminals connected to networks for years. And it always was the most practical way to do computing. But, where they're wrong is that we've never before had the benefit of the true power of millions of computers available to all of us wherever we are through inexpensive terminals.

The network IS the computer. And Java is the common thread that will tie it all together. Eventually people will see that Microsoft was just a crooked little stepping stone we used along the way!

Related Information:

Will Java end Microsoft's hegemony? Chris Barr - CNET

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