O’Reilly and NetObjects bring online conferencing to site developersBook publisher and software developer O’Reilly & Associates has partnered with ebusiness software and services provider NetObjects to develop online conferencing and chat applications for Web sites.O’Reilly & Associates’ WebBoard 4.0 now comes with a plug-in component for NetObjects Fusion 4.0, making it possible to integrate its login screen into a NetObjects Fusion-designed site.The NetObjects Fusion Web site construction application includes drag-and-drop codeless editing. It also features site management with an open and extensible platform designed for creating ebusiness sites with online catalogs, ecommerce, and Web applications. “The combination of WebBoard for community-building and NetObjects Fusion for site creation expands the possibilities for rapid site development among thousands of Web site builders,” said Gina Blaber, O’Reilly’s software director.WebBoard 4.0 with the component for NetObjects Fusion is ,199, available now. NetObjects Fusion 4.0 full version is available for 00. Users of previous version 3.0 have the option to upgrade.Further information is available at: https://webboard.oreilly.com/https://www.netobjects.comO’Reilly releases Host Master 4.0 for Web managersO’Reilly & Associates announced the release of Host Master 4.0, a new companion product to WebBoard, the company’s communication software. Host Master enables power administration of WebBoard sites, with easy setup and management of multiple domains, boards, conferences, and users. WebBoard is a robust, enterprise-level product utilized in live chat, forums, and conferences.Host Master features include:Multiple domain names on a single serverBulk user management toolsOpen scriptingApplication Programming Interface (API) and archivingHost Master is scheduled for release in the first quarter of 2000, with the suggested retail price yet to be announced. WebBoard is available and priced at ,199. https://software.oreilly.comProgress Software introduces new Internet messaging server for JavaProgress Software, producer of application development, deployment, and management solutions, announced availability of its Progress SonicMQ Internet messaging server for Java developers.SonicMQ provides developers with a tool to meet the increasing scalability requirements for business-to-business and consumer ecommerce. The server is based on Sun’s Java Message Service (JMS) specification, providing a common set of messaging concepts and programming strategies.Features of JMS implementations in the SonicMQ include:Hub-and-spoke architectureXML complianceGraphical Java-based administrationHierarchical namespacesSonicMQ is a 100% Pure Java implementation. The product will ship in two versions: the Enterprise Edition, a fully featured product for deployment configurations and complex development environments, and the Developer Edition, which allows developers to build and test messaging applications.Both editions will be available in November in North America, and in other markets by early 2000.SonicMQ is certified to run with Oracle8i, Microsoft SQL Server v7.0, and Progress RDBMS 9.1, as well as its own internal database. SonicMQ Enterprise Edition runs on Microsoft Windows NT and Solaris; the Developer Edition runs only on Microsoft Windows NT. The Developer Edition will be available free of charge; pricing for the Enterprise Edition is scheduled to be announced prior to shipment.https://www.sonicmq.comHotDispatch delivers Java support in online marketplaceHotDispatch Inc. announced the completion of its Sun-sponsored pilot program designed to deliver Java technology support through an online marketplace. According to the press release, the eight-week project enabled over 1,500 Java programmers to purchase and sell expertise.Technical and programming questions were posted on the HotDispatch site, with the price people were willing to pay for solutions.According to HotDispatch, there were long-unanswered Java programming questions that received many useful solutions from pilot participants in less than a day. “HotDispatch provides a unique and useful service that helped me complete a number of Java programming tasks in a relatively short time,” said George White, a pilot program participant. “The exposure to multiple views on problem resolution, from diverse support personnel, provided not only answers to my problems but also broadened my understanding of the Java programming language.”The HotDispatch marketplace is scheduled to launch this month, and will include a variety of developer technologies in addition to such end-user products as Microsoft Office and StarOffice.https://www.hotdispatch.com Theory Center introduces new training/consulting services for EJBThe Theory Center, a provider of Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB) component-based solutions, has introduced its professional services program, the LaunchEJB Series.The program aims to cover the latest developments in the field, and features on-site training, classroom education, and consulting services targeted at companies that need to quickly develop and implement standards-based ebusiness applications.Targeted at application architects and design staff with EJB knowledge, the program seeks to support everyone from first-time users to advanced developers. LaunchEJB includes an introductory training course and three consulting services tracks, which can be taken sequentially. For pricing and availability, call (888)Theory1 ((888)743-6791) or email sales@theorycenter.com.https://www.theorycenter.com/home/services.htmO’Reilly takes Java Enterprise to nutshell formatO’Reilly & Associates’ new publication, Java Enterprise in a Nutshell, details the APIs that comprise the Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE). The book is designed as a reference guide targeted at Java programmers who work on distributed enterprise applications. Content includes the core enterprise APIs that are part of Java 1.2, as well as numerous standard extensions. Java Enterprise in a Nutshell includes tutorials on a variety of Java enterprise APIs, including:JDBCRMIJava IDLJava servletsJNDIEnterprise JavaBeans“There aren’t many resources for Java enterprise developers, which is a shame,” says William Crawford, one of the book’s authors. “As we were writing this book, I kept the drafts around the office to help train new developers, and was in turn able to use their questions to help develop a better book.”Upcoming companion pieces from O’Reilly include Java in a Nutshell, 3rd Edition, which will cover the key nongraphical, nonenterprise APIs in Java 1.2, and Java Foundation Classes in a Nutshell, which describes the graphics- and GUI-related classes of Java 1.2.Java Enterprise in a Nutshell is available at a retail price of 9.95. An excerpt from the book, Chapter 4 on the Java IDL, is available for preview on the O’Reilly Web site:https://www.oreilly.com/catalog/jentnut/chapter/ch04.htmlFor more information about the book, see:https://www.oreilly.com/catalog/jentnut/Sun-Netscape Alliance announces the new iPlanet Web serverThe Sun-Netscape Alliance launched a new release of its Netscape Enterprise Server, the iPlanet Web Server, Enterprise Edition 4.0.According to the alliance, the flexible and scalable upgrade includes improved Java performance on the enterprise server.Features include application availability and dynamic interaction with Web processes, centralized administration and management tools, and applications optimized for iPlanet Web Server.A free trial of the iPlanet Web Server is available for download; for pricing, contact Sun or Netscape:https://www.iplanet.com/downloads/testdrive/detail_161_189.htmliPlanet bundles Optimizeit Java performance toolIntuitive Systems announced the shipment of a two-week trial demo of its Java performance tool, Optimizeit 3.0 Professional.The Java profiling tool tracks and resolves performance problems in Java programs.Optimizeit utilizes the iPlanet Web Server, including memory leak debugging, CPU profiling, and realtime monitoring of object allocations.The product is available for Microsoft Windows, Solaris, and Linux operating systems, and includes support for Sun’s Java Development Kit (JDK 1.1) and Java 2 Software Development Kit, Standard Edition (J2SE).The full-featured version of Optimizeit is available in various price categories, ranging from 9 to 00.https://www.optimizeit.comRegistration for download is available at:https://optimizeit.com/odownloaddemo.htmlaJile to license Rockwell Collins JEM Java TechnologiesaJile announced a license agreement with Rockwell Collins to further develop the latter company’s JEM Java microprocessor technologies.According to aJile, the license agreement provides the company with the sole rights to use current JEM technologies commercially and to develop new products.New products aJile plans to develop include a family of low-power, realtime, single-chip microcontrollers with application build tools, debuggers, and a Java runtime based on Sun’s Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition (J2ME).Early evaluation will be possible via the aJ-PC104, an Ethernet-enabled, single board Java computer incorporating Rockwell Collins’s JEM2microprocessor.The aJ-PC104 is a stackable board intended to be used as a development platform, processor system module, or reference design, enabling OEMs to evaluate the technology and reduce new product design cycle time.The JEM-based aJ-PC104 development and evaluation board is expected to be released by the end of this year. Introduction of its first fully integrated single chip product, the aJ-100, is scheduled for early 2000.https://www.ajile.com/ESC%20Press%20Release.htmSun-Netscape Alliance bundles I-Kinetics DataBroker 6.1 with iPlanetI-Kinetics announced that its DataBroker 6.1 is now shipping with the latest iPlanet Web Server, Enterprise Edition 4.0, developed by the Sun-Netscape Alliance.DataBroker 6.1 is designed to address the increased performance demands of ecommerce applications, and should enable high performance for Java data access and enterprise integration.According to a Java performance study, the combination of DataBroker and the iPlanet Web Server outperformed a variety of Web server and JDBC products by up to 400 percent.The Java performance study results are available at:https://www.i-kinetics.com/nes4/study.htm“iPlanet Web Server, combined with the DataBroker JDBC solution, provides an optimized environment for the deployment and delivery of mission-critical, high-performance Java applications,” said Dr. Stuart Wells, senior vice president of the Sun-Netscape Alliance.The 95 price for the DataBroker includes one year of maintenance and technical support, and five additional connections.The I-Kinetics DataBroker 6.1 can be downloaded with a copy of iPlanet Web Server, Enterprise Edition 4.0 from the iPlanet Web site:https://www.iplanet.com/It’s also available directly from the I-Kinetics Web site:https://www.i-kinetics.com/nes4/downreq.htmMazda puts Java in the driver’s seatMazda announced that it will incorporate Java technology from IBM to facilitate customer service and to make it easier to purchase and repair the company’s automobiles. According to Mazda, a customer’s opinion of a dealership is based primarily on two experiences: buying the vehicle and having it serviced. Mazda’s new Java-based Vehicle Locator and Parts Availability applications were developed to address these customer-satisfaction issues. The Vehicle Locator app electronically searches dealerships’ inventories based on specific criteria such as model, color, and applicable options. The Parts Availability app searches the Mazda distribution centers for replacement parts.The Java-based Vehicle Locator and Parts Availability applications are currently running at 15 Mazda dealers in North America. Mazda plans to roll out the applications to all 850 dealers nationwide by the end of October.Linar launches pure Java-COM solutionLinar Ltd., developer of pure Java-COM integration solutions, launched J-Integra 1.3, designed to leverage Java- and COM-based business objects and render Java objects accessible from COM, and COM objects accessible from Java.According to Linar, what sets J-Integra apart from other such bridging tools is that its product does not require native code and it allows Java objects to run on any operating system, using any JVM.The company says that common uses of the J-Integra would include accessing Excel from Java, accessing Java from Excel/VBA, or accessing EJBs from Visual Basic.The J-Integra kit documentation includes detailed tutorials and is available online at:https://www.linar.com/jintegra/doc/J-Integra costs ,000 per production server CPU, regardless of the number of clients. This license entitles the use of J-Integra on up to ten other machines for development, test, and staging purposes.For further pricing information see:https://www.linar.com/sales/Time-limited evaluation versions of J-Integra are available for download from the Linar Web site:https://www.linar.com/IBM takes developerWorks out of beta, launches Open Source ZoneIBM has moved developerWorks (dW) from beta and launched the project site with a new Open Source Zone.dW makes source code available for the Java Jikes compiler and IBM Classes for Unicode, which are used for Unicode-based international support for applications.Resources on the site’s Linux Zone include information on how to use Python. The site also features news about the release of IBM’s Linux-certified ThinkPad 600E and IBM’s open source command-line Java compiler, which has been integrated into recent versions of Red Hat Linux, Debian Linux, and FreeBSD.developerWorks Homepage:https://www.ibm.com/developerdW Open Source Zone:https://www10.software.ibm.com/developerworks/opensource?loc=121,t=g,p=OS001ObjectPlanet’s EasyCharts offers professional chart componentsObjectPlanet’s EasyCharts are designed to help developers add professional-looking bar, pie, and line to Java or Web-based applications with nominal coding.The charting components are 100% Pure Java, with no server-side installation required. The charts run on the client and support both integer and floating point numbers.EasyCharts support Java 1.02, 1.1, and 1.2, and are royalty-free with no distribution costs. Pricing varies from 9 to 49.https://objectplanet.com/EasyCharts/damango’s ASP service delivers on-demand applications via JavaKairos damango, an application service provider (ASP), has launched an Internet-based service that provides users with free, on-demand access to hundreds of applications from any Java-enabled device on any platform or operating system.According to damango, it is able to deliver these applications to the user’s local desktop via Speiros technology, an all-Java network operating system developed by Cyrus InterSoft.After users have logged on, they can access damango’s services, including a customizable Speiros environment, damango’s application catalog, and online storage space in which to save files.Applications flow into the user’s computer for immediate availability without any additional installation routines or restarts.The service is available now at no cost.For more information on the company and service:https://www.damango.comFree upgrade to ServletExec 2.2 announcedNew Atlanta Communications, developer of Internet and intranet software products, announced the availability of ServletExec 2.2, a standalone product or free upgrade to the 2.0 and 2.1 versions of its servlet and Java Server Pages (JSP) engine.The upgrade implements the final JSP 1.0 specification and adds support for the Microsoft VM on Windows in a high-performance, in-process configuration.The product incorporates the Java Servlet API (JSDK) 2.1 and Java Server Pages (JSP) 1.0 standards, along with components of the Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) suite of standards.ServletExec 2.2 allows applications to be deployed on major servers and OSs, including:Microsoft IIS and PWS on Windows 9x/NTNetscape FastTrack and Enterprise Server on Windows NT, Solaris, and other Unix variantsApache on Windows NT, Solaris, Linux, and other Unix variantsMac OS Web servers, such as WebSTAR and AppleShare IPServletExec 2.2 costs 95 per Web server for unlimited CPUs and unlimited clients. ServletExec 2.2 is a free upgrade for owners of ServletExec 2.0 and 2.1.It’s available now for download from New Atlanta’s Web site:https://www.newatlanta.com/downloads.htmlInstand Computer Solutions releases new version of its relational databaseInstant Computer Solutions of England announced version 3 of its low-cost Java relational database, the InstantDB, which is written completely in Java and can run on any Java-enabled platform.This latest version is compatible with the most recent Java and SQL standards. According to the company, it enhances the core functionality and extensibility available to developers by allowing for the addition of their own functions to the SQL implementation.The small memory footprint design is intended to make InstantDB suitable for embedded and portable database needs.Royalty-free distribution licenses are available, and the product is free for noncommercial and government use. Otherwise, prices range from 9 for a one-off workstation license to ,400 for a full server license, including source code.Further information is available:https://www.instantdb.co.ukAutomated Training Systems releases ebusiness training courses on AS/400 JavaAutomated Training Systems released its Ebusiness Skill Set Bundle for RPG Programmers, a series of eight self-paced training courses for programmers.The bundle includes a copy of the new AS/400 Java course, designed for AS/400 programmers.The audio cassette course allows for completion of the eight-course ebusiness bundle in under two weeks assuming you spend an hour and a half per workday on the course.The Ebusiness Skill Set Bundle includes:HTML coding and Web site designTCP/IP for the AS/400IC/400 operations and implementationAS/400 RPG IV programmingCGI scripting with RPG IVAS/400 SQL/400The bundle is available now for ,260. Users who order prior to the end of 1999 can save ,000.Automated Training Systems:https://www.800ibmuser.com/train/ebusiness.htmINTERSHOP’s enfinity is a full-scale enterprise ecommerce solutionINTERSHOP announced its enfinity sell-side ecommerce engine for the enterprise. The product is made up of four components: Transactivity Server, Catalog Server, Management Center, and Application Server.With the Transactivity Server, enfinity offers a transaction engine with a pipeline orchestrator to interface with existing enterprise systems, a cartridge API to allow functionality to be extended by systems integrators and ISVs, and a remote XML-based interface to manage it all. Transactions have built-in failover for maximum security.The Application Server is based on the EJB standard and conforms to the JDK 2.0, JWS 2.0, and JSP 1.0 specifications. The product is compatible with Windows NT Server, Solaris 2.6, and Oracle8i.INTERSHOP enfinity is expected to be available by the end of November.Pricing is based on configuration, and ranges from 50,000 to 00,000.https://166.90.128.182/products/index.htm?callname=products_enfinityDescartes and Sun produce DeliveryNets for ebusinessDescartes Systems Group, a .provider of ebusiness solutions, announced that it will team with Sun Microsystems to further develop and market its DeliveryNets product.DeliverNets is an ebusiness solution for high-performance customer fulfillment networks. Under the partnership, DeliverNets will extend its supply chain visibility by using Java-based applets on the Solaris platform.According to Descartes, the product combines event-based data collection with realtime supply chain monitoring and control, enabling dynamic optimization of fulfillment activities across trading partner communities.Using Descartes’s e-Frame platforms and Global Visibility Manager, Sun plans to create its own DeliveryNet to connect its global manufacturing and assembly operations with its logistics service providers.https://www.descartes.com/solutions/overview.htmlOpen Text launches expanded BASIS solutionsOpen Text Corporation, a provider of collaborative knowledge management and corporate portal solutions, released the BASIS Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) and BASIS Perl DBI Drivers.The solutions are designed to enhance the accessibility and openness of BASIS Web applications and advance BASIS integration with the company’s collaborative portal solution, MyLivelink.“Most of my BASIS clients require sophisticated security, data modeling, and search functionality — and BASIS delivers on these needs,” said Bill Johnson, president of Technology Concepts and Design Inc., a BASIS solution provider. “These new tools allow us to implement portable Web applications without compromising any BASIS functionality.”The product is compatible with BASIS database servers and maintains the same functionality as previous versions, with NT-to-NT, NT-to-Unix, and NT-to-OpenVMS interoperability. The BASIS JDBC and BASIS Perl DBI Drivers will additionally be certified for Unix-to-Unix and Unix-to-OpenVMS, and will support Linux and Apache environments.The BASIS JDBC Driver is now available, and costs 5,000 per BASIS server.The BASIS Perl DBI Driver will be available by November 1, 1999, and will be licensed under terms that are acceptable to the Open Source Initiative.https://www.opentext.comSITEFORUM WebServer takes Web-based apps cross-platform with JavaSFS Software launched the SITEFORUM Web server, designed to make Web-based applications platform-independent.The software allows vendors of Web-based software to distribute cross-platform applications to their customers, thereby eliminating additional software and configuration.As a pure Java server application, the server can be installed on every Java-enabled OS, including Windows, Linux, Mac OS, and Solaris.Features include secure remote administration, support for Java Servlets, and an integrated file transfer module.The Web server is compliant with HTTP 1.1, and supports the new Java 2 Platform and HotSpot JIT technology.The product is available as a fully functional evaluation version on the SFS Software site:https://www.sfs-software.comIt can additionally be licensed using a license key provided by SFS or by an authorized SFS distributor. CD-ROM versions are also available.The single copy cost is 49.The iServer Application/Web server is all JavaWritten completely in Java, the iServer by Servertec is a small, fast, and scalable platform-independent application and Web Server.iServer is designed for serving up static Web pages and as an application server for generating dynamic Web pages using Java servlets, iScript, common gateway interface (CGI), and server side includes (SSI).iServer can be used to establish a Web presence or as the servlet engine for any application or Web server that supports Apache modules, ISAPI, NSAPI, CGI, or Java.According to Servertec, the iServer 1.6.1 10/07/99 Preview Release supports workgroup monitoring and administration.Download iServer for free at:https://www.servertec.com/products/iws/license.htmlVSI development tool available for free downloadVSI, a developer of broad ecommerce and integrated network fax solutions, announced the availability of its Breeze Commerce Studio, a new developer’s toolkit for building XML-based business solutions.According to VSI, the studio is designed to increase development productivity through an advanced visual environment. Especially designed for XML and Java developers, this environment can reportedly speed the integration of multiple data sources by utilizing a powerful XML schema editor, schema importer, and Java code generation tools.Breeze can import schema from JDBC- and ODBC-connectable databases and generate Java code in the form of objects that can be integrated into applications. These objects will validate XML documents based on the parameters and constraints set in the schema.The product includes a toolkit that can route XML data via HTTP, TCP, email, file, and XML-enabled fax servers.Breeze Commerce Studio is now available on Windows, Unix, and Linux platforms as a free download from the VSI Web site:https://www.vsi.com/breezeThe full version is available for noncommercial use. Java objects created by Breeze can be freely distributed under the terms of the product license.Aonix will lead J Consortium task forceAonix, supplier of programming languages for realtime and safety-critical applications, announced that it has been chosen to lead the J Consortium’s High Integrity Profile Task Group.According to Aonix, the industry-backed J Consortium is dedicated to the development of open standards for the use of Java technologies in realtime and embedded applications.Brian Dobbing and Ed Falis, both principal members of the technical staff at Aonix, have been chosen to cochair the new task group.https://www.aonix.comInsignia Solutions receives Sun PersonalJava certificationInsignia Solutions, provider of Java-compatible VM technology, announced that the new 1.5.2 version of its Jeode platform passed Sun’s PersonalJava platform compatibility certification.According to Insignia, the Jeode EVM (embedded virtual machine), specifically designed for embedded devices, is the first independently developed virtual machine to achieve PersonalJava platform compliance.It was also announced that Quantum Corporation chose the Jeode platform for future development of Java technology-based embedded intelligence in storage devices and systems.The product is Sun Java-compliant with Windows CE/MIPS configuration, and will be available on Windows NT, VxWorks, and Linux operating systems for Intel x86, Hitachi SH, PowerPC, and ARM processors. The 1.5.2 upgrade features the ability to enable automatic Java-object compaction for an application, a standard byte code verifier, and a new tool called JeodeMonitor, which provides event monitoring and memory usage analysis.The product is available now. Contact Insignia for pricing information.https://www.insignia.com/4.0/products/jeode.htmBorland Inprise previews Linux JITBorland Inprise has announced a preview release of JBuilder JIT for Linux.The preview release is based on the JBuilder JIT for Windows that has been shipping for over three years.The JIT compiler functions as a cache, taking a frequently executed Java method and compiling machine-independent Java byte code loaded from the class file into x86 machine code.“The JBuilder Java 2 JIT for Linux is another step in Inprise’s ongoing commitment to provide world-class development tools, databases, and middleware for Linux,” said Dale Fuller, interim president and CEO of Inprise Corporation. “The increased performance delivered by the JBuilder JIT is key to satisfying the demand for faster Java 2 applications on Linux.”The product works on a method-by-method basis and will not compile a method until a program invokes it.The JBuilder JIT for Linux has been certified with the Red Hat 5.2 and 6.0 versions of Linux and supports x86-based architectures only.The JBuilder JIT for Linux requires the JDK 1.2 pre-v2, available from:https://www.blackdown.orgThe JIT is available for download at the Borland site:https://www.borland.com/jbuilder/linux/download/BEA’s WebLogic Server 4.5 provides ecommerce enterprise Java servicesBEA Systems Inc., an ecommerce transactions provider, announced the availability of its WebLogic Server 4.5, a complete implementation of Sun’s Java 2, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) platform standard.The product is designed to quickly build ecommerce applications leveraging enterprise Java standards, including business components based on Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB), Java Server Pages (JSP) technologies, and messaging services components implemented with the Java Messaging Service (JMS) standard.This latest version of the WebLogic Server includes enhancements to the set of server clustering capabilities, in-memory replication of user session information, and enhanced load-balancing algorithms.The server is available for HP-UX, IBM AIX and AS/400, Linux, Microsoft Windows NT, Sun Solaris, Compaq Tru64 Unix, and several other platforms.Contact the company for pricing details. A free evaluation copy of the product is available for download:https://www.beasys.com/download.htmlObjectWave named Authorized Java CenterSun named Chicago-based ObjectWave as the fourth authorized Java Center service location in its central area sales region. The nine-year-old company is a three year veteran in the Java arena, specializing in client/server, Web-based, and intranet/extranet solutions for enterprise productivity and project management in the telecommunications and finance sectors. ObjectWave develops a Java-based productivity product called JGrinder.“ObjectWave has assembled an excellent team to develop and implement applications based on Java technology for telco and finance customers,” said Reed Hornberger, director of market development for Sun Microsystems. “ObjectWave’s expertise in distributed architectures and the Java platform provides a solid foundation for implementing Internet-based solutions.”ObjectWave can be found at:https://www.objectwave.comFor more information on the Authorized Java Center program, including locations, please visit the Authorized Java Center Web site at: https://www.sun.com/javacentersPut your VPN tunnel to better use with JsocketsCaribou Lake Software announced a new HTTP-tunneling socket solution — Jsockets — which allows users behind a firewall to access Java applets and business objects over the Internet. This is the first full commercial release of Jsockets.According to Caribou Lake Software Product Architect Mike Leo, “One of the knocks on HTTP tunneling solutions is the overhead involved in building and then tearing down the tunnel. Java delivers more functionality through the tunnel. It’s not any easier to build or tear down, but you can do a lot more with it when it’s up. Jsockets allows the whole socket conversation to be carried out over HTTP or HTTPS. It makes tunneling work for you.”Using Jsockets, users can access any Java application, even from behind a corporate firewall or from a proxy environment. When used with SSL, Jsockets create a virtual private network (VPN) between platform- and configuration-independent nodes of the Internet.Jsockets was specifically designed to allow a socket connection back to the server, even through of a firewall. Jsockets features full RMI support and full-duplex communications. The latter allow clients to listen for connections from other Jsockets and non-Jsockets clients.Licensing for Jsockets is based on the number of concurrent-connected clients to the base Jsockets server. A 5-client license goes for 99, while a 20-client license is ,999. A license permitting an unlimited number of clients is ,999.https://www.cariboulake.com/jsql/jsocketsdesc.htmlJava pushes future of consumer devices one step further with smart phonesSun Microsystems is forging ahead on the road to smarter appliances with the announcement of three major alliances in the European market.Developing Java implementations for GSM mobile phones in Europe will pave the way to smarter Java-based devices, Sun said. The company is partnering with Motorola, Sony, and Symbian in three separate initiatives to advance the state of intelligent telephony.Both Motorola and Symbian will offer Europeans smarter cell phones based on Java in the first half of next year. The Motorola product is the Timeport P1088, while Symbian’s product is the Smartphone. Meanwhile, Sony will work with Credit Suisse to create an end-to-end service delivery model utilizing the GSM network.“Java technology has unique security features and dynamic download capabilities that create new business opportunities by broadening the way consumers use their mobile phones. Since over one billion wireless phones are expected by 2005, this is a significant market opportunity,” said Mike Clary, vice president and general manager of consumer and embedded products for Sun Microsystems.“Shortly, users will be able to do secure online banking or trading, play with games, or get personalized news reports. By delivering a wide range of graphically enhanced services, Java technology will make the user’s experience richer and more engaging,” he said.The announcement of the three alliances follows in the wake of a successful trial run of smart Java-based telephony in Japan. NTT DoCoMo, in cooperation with a number of content providers, has already signed up 1.7 million customers for its mobile phone service, despite the fact that it won’t launch until late next year.https://www.sun.com/smi/Press/sunflash/9910/sunflash.991011.1.html Software Development