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November 21, 1997

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Avoid False Claims


Warning:

Misinformation concerning the cross-platform and cross-browser functionality of Microsoft's AFC libraries has been widely disseminated by the Redmond PR machine, and has somehow escaped the critical eye of the trade press.

PC Week set the record straight in a recent article ("AFCs snarl developers"). We recommend that readers proceed with caution when developing with Microsoft Java products, and seek out a truly open alternative.


A Few Corrections:

Computer Shopper, August 1997

"AFC is written in Java, so it is definitely a cross-platform solution."

Wrong! AFC uses Microsoft's proprietary hooks into its JVM and is only licensed for distribution with IE4 or the Microsoft JVM.


PC Computing, October 1997

"AFC components can be used with any application development tool that is compatible with Sun Microsystems' Java Development Kit 1.1."

Wrong! Microsoft may ship a version of AFC that is compatible with the JDK 1.0.2, but otherwise the libraries will only be compatible with the Microsoft SDK for Java.


PC Magazine, November 1997

"Microsoft's Application Foundation Classes (AFC) let you create pure Java that will run on any Java VM but will use Win32-specific features on a Win32 platform."

Wrong! Some AFCs may run unmodified on non-Microsoft VMs, but many will not. The point is moot, however, since Microsoft will not license AFC for distribution separately from the Microsoft JVM.


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