Michael Miller writing in PC Magazine in June 1996 describes componentware and how it was rebuilding. Actually evolving – and the talk is eerie:
“IBM seems to be in the lead [in componentware], discussing how Merlin, the next version of OS/2, will let you take a Java applet out of your browser and run it on the desktop as a standalone application. Not to be outdone, Microsoft is now saying Windows will be Java-enabled as well – though exactly what that means is unclear. Since Java applets are new, they are coming out of the starting gate with many of the latest innovations. Java applets are designed to be portable, and they work on any enabled browser or operating system. More important, most are engineered to be compact and networked and to work in combination using tools such as Netscape JavaScript and Microsofts Visual Basic.
Of course, Java isnt the only game in town. Microsoft is getting into the act with its own ActiveX components, a new version of OCX designed for networks. And Apple is bound to find a way to make Java and OpenDOC coexist [-although] the OpenDoc Framework remains more concept than reality as well: The bulk of applications dont take advantage of it. And the operating system update thats really designed around OpenDoc has been delayed. Again. “
Now what was going on here ?
Stay tuned for more…
(c)JBSurveyer