E-mail from Sun's James Gosling to Sun execs, on licensing Java to MS

From: jag@sendprson Thu Nov. 30 16:? PST 1995
From: jag@sendprson (James Gosling)
To: illegible@sendprson;; schmidt,@sendprson, illegible, corp
Subject: The Microsoft Java deal
To: mile illegible central, illegible, illegible, sheridan@ sendprson?

I've been hearing bits and pieces about the Microsoft negotiations and I have very mixed feelings that I'd like to express. This is getting rushed and it doesn't feel like it's being thought through carefully.

It would be a *huge* win in terms of capturing seats. Java would instantly become a galactic standard. But there are many problems.

Personally, I just don't trust them. The planet is littered with companies that did deals with Microsoft, expecting to win big, but ended up getting totally screwed. Sybase is a great example, as is Stac. While there may be a momentary publicity rush that makes the deal look like a huge win, the historical evidence indicates that as the relationship plays out, they will squirm and twist, and we'll get screwed.

The PR implications are bizarre too: Java has been positioned (by us and the press) as the world's salvation from Microsoft. If Microsoft enters the field, there will be a delicate positioning problem that I don't believe has a great solution. We can make a handwaving argument about "it's a level playing field and they're contractually obligated to play by the rules", but it'll sound like a hollow rationalization.

One very large problem that I've heard no discussion about is how this will affect our licensees. Nearly every licensing negotiation has opened with "We see Java as a way to attack the evil empire." This could easily scare existing licensees shitless and eliminates one of the strongest motivations that folks have for licensing Java. There is a reasonable probability that doing a deal with Microsoft could end the future licensing business and sour existing relationships. There's a counter argument that the Microsoft deal would validate the technology and drive license deals, but I don't buy it.

Whatever we're charging them it had better be a *lot*. I think a non-royalty deal would be hard to defend.

This is a very seductive opportunity with positive potential, but *tremendous* risks.

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