Microsoft and Sun to thrash out Java injunction terms

A storm brewing?

Having taken the Christmas period to work out the specific terms of an injunction handed down last month, Sun Microsystems and Microsoft are now scheduled to appear before a federal judge to detail their proposals. US District Judge J. Frederick Motz in Baltimore ordered Sun and Microsoft to appear in court today. In his initial ruling, Motz ordered Microsoft to include Sun's version of Java with its Windows operating system, citing the software giant's history of undermining the platform-neutral programming language. Sun's suit alleges that Microsoft violated antitrust law by dropping Sun's version of Java in the OS and including its own version. Sun claims Microsoft's version is not compatible with its technology. Java is a programming language designed to work regardless of the OS that is running on a computer - what Sun calls a write once, run anywhere platform for software development. Microsoft has long seen Java as a competitive threat to Windows, which the courts have ruled a monopoly. In his ruling last month, Judge Motz granted Sun's request for an injunction in general terms. But he held off on issuing an order with specific details of what Microsoft had to do. Both Sun and Microsoft submitted written proposals on Monday, suggesting exactly which of Microsoft's software titles would have to carry or support Java, in what timeframe the order would be carried out and other details. On Tuesday, both sides will appear before the judge and debate the terms of the order. The judge's decision is expected "very soon", according to Sun. Paul Festa writes for News.com