I was just sent this via the FSFEurope.org mailing lists. I recoil in horror that they might get away with this. What do others think? Is Java going to die, will this become an "optional" plug-in like VBRUN.dll was on Windows 3, or is Java mostly used on the server side anyway?
Slashdotters will have seen this anyway, but here's choice clips from http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2790355,00.html?chkpt=zdhpnews...
A Microsoft spokesman said Java support was diminished for "business reasons"
After Windows XP is launched in October, users will be directed to download a plug-in from Microsoft's Web site (www.microsoft.com) to make Java-based programs work.
"if you want your Web page accessible to the largest number of people, you may want to drop Java" and switch to Microsoft's competing set of products, which is under development and is known as .Net.
Microsoft's new products will now screen out Java as a possible carrier of computer viruses in e-mail and, under high-security settings, in Web-browsing software. ... Microsoft's new security rules don't halt the transmission of e-mail attachments that contain Microsoft Word or Excel "macros,"
Microsoft didn't announce the change.
[Above Copyright 2001 ZD Inc. See their site for confusing terms. I think this complies. Foo.]