Oracle gives Java a booster dose

A A

Sudhir Chowdhary: May 16 2011, 00:15 IST

Here’s an ear to ground report on Java, one of the computer industry’s best-known brands and most widely deployed technologies—3 billion mobile phones and 1.1 billion desktops run Java, 31 times more Java phones ship every year than Apple and Android combined, while 100% of all Blu-ray players run Java.

Around 1.4 billion Java cards are manufactured each year, growing at 1.7 billion devices per year. In short, Java powers set-top boxes, printers, Web cameras, games, car navigation systems, lottery terminals, medical devices, parking payment stations and more.

When Oracle acquired Sun Microsystems in a $7.5 billion deal two years back, doubts were cast whether Oracle would ensure continued investment and innovation in Java technology, originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems. Java was originally designed for interactive television, but it was too advanced for the digital cable television industry at that time. Doubts were cast because Sun tried to make money off Java, but without much success. And chances were that a business-focused company like Oracle might relegate open source technology such as Java to the background if business returns were not forthcoming.

Cut to present day. Fact is, Java is one of the most important software Oracle has ever acquired and the US software maker has been very disciplined about extracting money from its technologies.

Not surprising, Oracle is going full-force at trying to make money from Java, a path the erstwhile Sun Microsystems hadn’t pursued strongly.

“Oracle is a business-focused company and Java is vital to its success.

... contd.

Ads by Google

Single Page Format

1 | 2 | 3 | Next