Java browser for Windows 3.1x

[Peter Murray]

Part of IBM's agreement to license Java is a port to the Windows 3.X 
platform.  This little snippet came from http://www.ibm.com/News/ls951206.html:

  IBM has licensed Sun Microsystems' Java* programming language to improve
  the way customers view and interact with Internet content. 

  We'll use Java technology in products like web browsers and web servers,
  as well as in Lotus Notes, the integrated messaging and groupware
  software. We also expect to port the Java technology to our OS/2 and AIX
  operating systems, as well as to Microsoft Windows** 3.1, expanding the
  number of industry platforms that support Java. We expect these ports to
  be available on the WWW in the first quarter of 1996. 

  * Java is a trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc.
  ** Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. 


Now, granted, an interpreted, object-oriented language might consume more 
(memory/CPU/disk) resources than the typical MS-Windows 3.X machine has, 
but this could mean that it is possible, in theory...


Peter

On Sun, 10 Dec 1995, Boyd R. Collins wrote:
> 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.
> >
> >
> 
> 
> &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
> 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
> 


--
Peter Murray, Senior Systems Analyst                       pem at po.cwru.edu
Library Information Technologies         http://www.cwru.edu/home/pem.html
Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio            W:216-368-8989