via The Register
In the beginning, Microsoft provided Java for Windows - but Sun took over when Microsoft violated their contract and made Java code written on Windows unable to run on other systems.
This in an interesting article about the difficulties that Java faces on the Mac. The above quote simply made me laugh as it illustrates how Microsoft never changes its tricks.
But in all seriousness, I really am curious as to what Apple’s plans with Java are. I agree that many Java apps are a second-rate experience that probably should not be allowed in the App Store. But there are still many examples of amazing Java applications, such as Eclipse itself, that would greatly hurt Mac OS as a development platform if lost.
Java is the language of choice for most introductory programming courses in schools due to its relative simplicity. By deprecating Java support, Apple has made it clear that it is not a good idea to depend on Macs for working with Java. That means a Mac is no longer an option for many students and they will be forced to use Windows again. If a student learns on Windows, he or she is likely to keep using Windows through life after that. Apple’s large growth has, in part, been due to so many students adopting a Mac and then using those Macs even after graduating.
It shall be interesting to see what happens as they move forward with Lion.