In other news.... (InfoWorld)
Microsoft's Visual J++ Java tool now available in beta
By Cara Cunningham
InfoWorld Electric
Posted at 10:32 AM PT, Jul 15, 1996
Microsoft Corp. Monday released a beta version of its Visual J++ development
tool for the Java language on its World Wide Web site.
Scheduled for commercial availability this fall, Visual J++ is targeted at
both beginning and professional developers who are looking for a visual
environment in which to write Java applets and applications, said officials
with the Redmond, Wash.-based company.
The tool includes a number of developer aids, such as wizards for quickly
building cross-platform Java applets and applications and a graphical debugger
that lets developers debug at byte-code level multiple applets on one Web
page from within a browser, officials said. Visual J++ also includes a source
compiler that compiles code at a rate of 1 million lines per minute, they
said.
For developers new to Java, Visual J++ also includes online documentation and
a test drive area to try their skills.
While Microsoft is embracing Java -- a language developed by competitor Sun
Microsystems Inc. that is emerging as an Internet de facto standard -- with
this tool, the software giant will also offer users the opportunity to
incorporate its own Internet standard contender called ActiveX. Visual J++
developers will be able to extend their programs with ActiveX components,
officials said.
Visual J++ beta software can be downloaded from Microsoft's site at
_http://microsoft.com/visualj/_.