[Pc_Support] .NET based on Java?

[Bryan J. Smith]

On Mon, 2005-10-24 at 22:13 -0400, Paul M Foster wrote:
> Bryan (or others):
> At one point, you made the claim that the .NET framework was based on 
> Java (1.1?) code that Microsoft had licensed from Sun. Am I remembering 
> that correctly? If so, are there any articles to be found (preferably 
> online) which provide evidence for this claim? You're the only one I've 
> heard make it, but then again I don't pore over a bunch of tech articles 
> all the time.

The .NET C# language, common language run-time and development framework
are based on Java 1.1.  .NET is more than just the language, run-time
and development framework.

Why people are in disbelief over this, and many other things that
Microsoft has used in the past, is beyond me.  Especially from even UNIX
users, although the overwhelming majority of UNIX developers know the
lineage of a great number of things.

Microsoft legally licensed Java from Sun.  Microsoft was already working
on a Win32-only Java implementation well in advance of any lawsuit over
the license by Sun.  This included many core changes you now find in C#.
While Sun was successful in preventing Microsoft from using the
trademark in the lawsuit, Microsoft fought like hell, and won, the right
to continue using the code through the last release they were given at
the time, Java 1.1.

If anything, Microsoft was brilliant in getting what they wanted, and
Sun a little too naive to realize that it was far more about the
branding.

Once Microsoft was freed of the contractual obligations with Sun, but
still had the source code, they then didn't tip-toe any longer.  They
improved the language which resulted in C#.  You'll notice every single
limitation of Java exists in every single area of .NET.  E.g., the
language inheritance limitations of the Java Native Interface (JNI) are
the same of those in the Common Language Run-time.

Again, the development timeline shows that Microsoft basically took what
they had already forked from Java and, now with the "gloves off,"
finished what they wanted.  But this matters little now.  Microsoft
relicensed Java as of version 1.4, and Microsoft and Sun are working
together on Java and .NET.  Microsoft did this because they were well
beyond on .NET Indigo services for NT 6.0.

As far as "proof," please remember all the "Microsoft could not be
reached for comment" statements in articles.  Microsoft uses all sorts
of sort code they can legally (and in a several cases, have done
illegally or through licensing) in Windows and other products.  They'd
be stupid not too, and in knowing many Microsoft developers, their
attitude was "Sun left us no choice."  The reality is that Microsoft
knows that nearly all developers know, and it's not really a big deal.
Some in the media go crazy sometimes, but I don't know why.

The only people who care are the CIOs and other executives that still
believe Microsoft invented everything from the ground-up.


-- 
Bryan J. Smith     b.j.smith at ieee.org     http://thebs413.blogspot.com
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