|
PureBytes Links
Trading Reference Links
|
Microsoft's Java-look-alike language, C#, has achieved ECMA approval as a
standard. Below is the view of leading technology analysis company, Gartner
Group, on this event. (www.gartner.com)
Michael Suesserott
------------------------------------
From: ECMA Approval of Microsoft's C# Will Not Affect Java
18 December 2001
David Smith, Gartner Group
Note Number: FT-15-1249
The European Computer Manufacturers Association (ECMA) has approved
Microsoft's C# programming language, but this approval will not give C#
Java's ability to operate on all computing platforms.
...
ECMA's approval does little to give C# the key characteristic of Java — its
ability to operate on all computing platforms. CLI is a subset of the .NET
Framework including Common Language Runtime (CLR) and base classes, the part
of the .NET platform that is ultimately responsible for managing the runtime
environment for applications compiled to Microsoft intermediate language
(MSIL). Without all of CLI, the potential for C# on other platforms remains
largely academic.
ECMA has made C# a formal standard, but enterprises make few decisions on
the basis of formal standards. The bigger issue is whether .NET itself will
run on platforms other than Microsoft's, and Gartner sees little business
incentive for Microsoft to want to promote all of .NET on alternate
platforms. Even with efforts such as Ximian, without fully functional .NET,
the potential of C# and CLI remains extremely limited. As a result, Gartner
predicts little or no impact on Java.
|