Item Subject: MPE/iX vs HP-UX and Java
 
John P. Burke said:
>From InformationWeek (May 6) we have "SUN Microsystems, at last week's
>Internet World trade show in San Jose, Calif., unveiled a list of 10
>major vendors that have incorporated or will incorporate Java directly
>into their operating systems ... The list includes ... Hewlett-Packard
>...".
>
>I suppose it is too much to expect that MPE/iX is considered an HP
>operating system for purposes of this announcement.
 
Sounds like a good Round Table question to me!
 
Currently I think it's a question of resources, just like any other
change to MPE/iX.  There just aren't a lot of programmers sitting around
doing nothing who can jump on things like this when they come up.  They
have to make the business case for doing it, and these days the #1 thing
that does this seems to be customer requests.  So if a lot of people ask
for it it's more likely to get done.  The days when someone at HP can
just run out and do something because they think it's a good idea are
gone.
 
On the other hand, HP has announced their support for Java and that they
think it is important enough that it be there on HP-UX that they are
going to be the ones who maintain it, so I think it's fair to ask HP why
they haven't said anything about MPE/iX support for Java.
 
There are, in fact, discussions going on (including some people at HP)
about doing a freeware port of Java to the 3000.  The hope is that as
with the HP3000 web server, a free (unsupported) version might
eventually lead to an officially supported version (like the OpenMarket
web server product).  Of course this requires that there be people
willing to volunteer enough time to get the free version done.
 
Anyone interested in actually helping with the HP3000 Java porting
effort please let me know.
 
G.