media:Fw: Microsoft Drops Java Support

                  06/18/2002 - Updated 05:05 PM ET



      Microsoft drops Java support on eve of court date

      WASHINGTON (AP) - Just before closing arguments in its antitrust
case,
Microsoft delivered a broadside to one of its bitter software rivals,
declaring Tuesday it will stop supporting Sun Microsystems' flagship
product
by 2004. Microsoft cited Sun's opposition in the case as the reason for
the
decision to remove support for Sun's Java programming language from
future
versions of Microsoft's Windows operating system. "The decision to
remove
Microsoft's Java implementation was made because of Sun's strategy of
using
the legal system to compete with Microsoft," Microsoft spokesman Jim
Cullinan said in a statement.

Received on Wednesday, 19 June 2002 09:22:58 UTC