Java SE (Java Platform, Standard Edition)

I was not surprised to see the statement from Microsoft that they will remove the JVM from their new operating system Windows XP, as it is "unecessary files for the user".

This causes a huge problem for all companies basing themselves on making applets. The reason for using applets is to provide web functionality without having to download plug-ins, but now this is no longer workable.

As a solution I request that Sun should come to the rescue here, as Microsoft surely will not be helpful.

What we need is a TINY file that will replace the functionality of the MS Java for the Internet Explorer. No huge 1.3 libraries, only the most basic things needed to run 1.1 applets like the MS virtual machine could. This system should be EXTREMELY easy to install for the end user. Just one click, and only the very, very basic files needed to replace the functionality should be installed. And only for the browser, to save space.

Basically what we need is a Java applet viewer plugin for Internet Explorer, that downloads extremely fast and that has installation procedures almost invisible to the end-user.

I emphasize on TINY (no 5MB huge beast!) and EXTREMELY easy to install. I am aware there exists solutions today, but they do not follow these criterias. This would be like a Java Browser Micro Edition for applets. Also, new VMs seem to be almost in practice non-functinal running applets written for Java 1.0 or 1.1, as we have seen in Netscape 6 which can run only a few existing applets, and very poorly. Please use the 1.1. standard, this will also save downloading time.

I expect Sun to take this seriously, as an applet free web would surely void a lot of work put into this branch of Java. And as a Java developer through several years, I would not think twice leaving Java in favour of C# if Sun does not provide a web browser solution for me, and everyone else depending on applets on the net. Not because I want to, but I see no other real world functional options now.