Netscape backs off from Java 'faux pas'

Netscape appears to have back-peddled on its stance towards the viability of the Java client. It has denied that abandoning development of the JVM (Java virtual machine) in any way represents a backing off from Java.

"Netscape's commitment to Java is 100 per cent," said Dusan Renic, product marketing manager for Netscape in the UK. Netscape's vice president of products, Marc Andreessen, was quoted in US reports last week as saying that Java on the client doesn't work.

Renic brushed the comment aside, saying that any 100 per cent pure JVM will plug into Netscape's browser. "We don't have a team dedicated to Java development, but we do have people looking at it. The resource required to build a full Java client defocuses us from the core enterprise market."

"This time last year we were developing JVM for 17 platforms," he continued. "Sun specialise in Java. Its JVM is bound to be better."

Andy Bush, from Sun's market development group, denied that the comments signalled a cooling of relations with Netscape. "Our relationship with Netscape is very good, very supportive," he said. "Thousands of client-side applications are out there. Netscape just wants to focus on its core skills, on its browser and on its server side."