Sun full of beans with business Java
Sun Microsystems has announced a series of middleware extensions to Java which promise to be the most important developments yet in establishing the Internet language within the business community.

The extensions include Java Enterprise and Java Commerce Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) codenamed Java Beans.

The former delivers connectivity to corporate databases and legacy applications, and the latter a mechanism by which Java developers can deliver secure purchasing to World Wide Web applets and applications.

JavaSoft, the Sun subsidiary which develops Java, also announced at its JavaOne conference in San Francisco, a new Security API, Servlet API, and as expected, a lightweight Java operating system for non-PC devices, codenamed Kona.

The security component adds cryptography, digital signature support, encryption and authentication to Java. The Servlet API provides software developers with the building blocks necessary for creating consistent access to server and administrative resources.

JavaSoft is also developing a standard SQL database access interface, JDBC, through which developers will be able to access relational databases.

Details of the specification can be obtained from SunSoft .

Alan Baratz, president of JavaSoft, said: "The Java industry has asked for a roadmap that shows Java's smooth open evolution from new object-oriented programming language to complete programming and operating environment."

Niall Mansfield, technical director of User Interface Technologies, a third-party developer specialising in intranet applications, said his company was not using Java for commercial applications because it lacked required features. However, with the new APIs that may change.

"We [require] document management and links to databases across the Web," he said.

In addition to the APIs, JavaSoft is investigating low-level networking services. In an experiment codenamed Ice Tea, the company is looking at various connections between Corba and non-Corba applications.

These links will allow Java components to connect and access non-Corba legacy applications.

A spokesperson for JavaSoft said: "Lots of mainframe applications are not Corba-compliant. Someone needs to access this data with the new Java paradigm."

Sun did not release ship dates for the products.

CLIFF SARAN
From the 4 June edition of PC Week