Java browser for Windows 3.1x

[Boyd R. Collins]

Bill,

I've been looking into Java lately as part of an article I am working on and
I'm afraid I don't have good news for those intending to stick with Windows
3.X.  There are no current plans at Sun to port Java to that platform for
several technical reasons, one having to do with the way Windows 3.X handles
memory stacks and there are others as well, from what I have heard.  Java
will not work with Win32s on a Windows 3.X platform for much the same
reasons.  Another reason is that 16-bit operating systems, despite their
wide prevalence at present, represent an aging and obsolete platform that
fewer and fewer developers are going to be supporting.  The amount of time
and effort it would take to port Java to a system that will represent a
smaller and smaller part of the market just doesn't make sense at present.
My advice to anyone who asks is to switch to Windows 95 or NT if you want to
see what the Java excitement is all about.

>	Hi.  With all the flurry of articles on Java recently, it seems
>like this "next big thing" is currently available in Windows environments
>for Windows 95 or Windows NT.  Is that correct?  I have tried finding 
>information on the possibility of the Sun people porting one to the
>Windows 3.1x user base, but the company is reportedly not planning
>to work on this.   
>
>	Do any of the very knowledgeable people on this list know if
>anyone is close to having a product out that will work on a regular
>old Windows 3.1x platform.  If so, please point me in the right 
>direction.  Would the Win32s extenders that enable MPEGPLAY to work
>be sufficient to try the Java browser.  Or is there something in
>Windows 95 or NT that goes beyond Win32s?   
>
>	I am not really a "techie."  But I would hope someone is going
>to produce a Java system that can work for those of us who don't
>want to move to Windows 95 yet.   Thank you for your assistance.
>
>--Bill Walker
>  Reference Dept.
>  Stockton Public Library.
>
>


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Boyd R. Collins, Automation Manager, The Libraries
Mansfield University                        
Mansfield PA 16933                
(717) 662-4668 (work)                   
(717) 662-4993 FAX                
bcollins at epix.net
home page: http://www.mnsfld.edu/depts/lib/index.html