Java: Beyond The Browser
By Sal Familia,Technical Editor
If you thought Java was simply a tool to dress up web pages, you're in for a surprise. "Partnering" seems to be the catchphrase of the day as one company after another announces a new product and a new alliance or licensing agreement with Sun in a frantic attempt to ride the Java wave. Java chips, Java operating systems, Java telephones and digital appliances ... there seems to be no end to the new products being introduced with the Java monicker attached to them. This page "Java: Beyond The Browser" will be your central source for up-to-date news and announcements to keep you informed of the latest Java developments. So bookmark it and visit often.
JIT Compilers
A few serious concerns began to emerge after the dust settled on the initial Java enthusiasm. Not the least of those concerns being speed.
Java is an interpreted language, therefore Java "bytecode" must be interpreted line-by-line by the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) – which tends to execute slowly. One way to think of this is to imagine how a conversation would be slowed by having to speak with someone through an interpreter. This is essentially what is happening on your computer. The Java bytecode must be interpreted by the JVM, so that the microprocessor in your system will understand it.
The speed problem is not so noticeable when it comes to running those small applets that are becoming as commonplace as buttons, banners, and toolbars. But sizable applications with more functional muscle suffer greatly and are plagued by lackluster speed performance. The solution for this problem is now propagating its way around the Web and it's arrived, well... just in time.
The fix is aptly known as a Just-In-Time (JIT) compiler. The way it works is simple in theory. As the Java bytecode is received by the client computer, it is compiled into native code -- the specific code that is understood by your PC processor whether it is a member of the Intel (Pentium, for example), Motorola (PowerPC for example), or other family of microprocessors. Once the Java applet or application is compiled by the JIT compiler, it will run natively on your system rather than the JVM, thus the improved speed.
You may already be using a JIT compiler since both Netscape and Microsoft have incorporated one into their browsers most recent versions.
Find out more:
Compiling Java Just-In-Time.
The Java Chip
Sun Microelectronics, a division of Sun Microsystems recently announced a family of three Java-powered microprocessors. This marriage of Java and silicon is aimed at bringing network-centric capabilities to a new breed of Internet applicances. "Java presents the microprocessor world with a new product paradigm - simple, secure and small," stated Chet Silvestri, president of Sun Microelectronics. "And our Java processors cast this paradigm in silicon." The family of chips consists of picoJAVA -- the smallest of the three and expected to power cellular phones and printers, microJAVA -- the mid-range offering for telecom equipment and consumer products such as games, and UltraJAVA -- the fastest Java processors designed for Network PCs, and advanced 3-D graphics and other multimedia-intensive applications.
Three companies -- LG Semicon, Ltd., Mitsubishi Electric America, Inc. and Samsung Electronics have licensed this technology from Sun for the development, manufacturing, marketing and internal use of chips based on the picoJAVA microprocessor core. "With the help of these world class companies, we intend to make picoJAVA the de facto processor standard for the new breed of consumer, communications and compute network-centric appliances," Silvestri stated.
Find out more:
Java Processors Press Release
Java Processors Whitepaper
The Java Operating System
In a move that could bring Java one step closer to ubiquity, JavaSoft, a division of Sun Microsystems recently announced the JavaOS. JavaOS is an operating system designed to run Java applications directly on microprocessors that could be included in computers, PDAs, printers, game machines or cellular telephones. Industry response to this announcement was significant. Acer Inc., Hyundai Electronics, Mitsubishi, Oracle and Xerox are just a few of the companies that stated their intention to license JavaOS. Borland, Corel, Symantec, Dun & Bradstreet Software and others intend to build applications and tools for the platform.
Find out more:
JavaOS Press Release
The Java Telephone
It's deja vu all over again. Java, which started its life as Oak, a programming language designed to run consumer digital products, has gone full circle. Nortel and Sun Microsystems recently announced plans to incorporate Java and Java Powered chips into a new line of telephones allowing users to access Internet services from any location without a computer. "Telephony will soon embrace the flexibility of Java technology and the compelling price/performance of Java powered processors," said Sun's Silvestri.
Feb 15, 1997 
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