Speaking of Microsoft as a Google competitor, is it possible Google doesn't want to endure the news blackout during the cooling-off period if they did file their prospectus to go public?
Could the cooling-off period limit their ability to respond to Microsoft's publicity machine during a potentially critical time?
First, Sun might include Java in the name regardless of the implementation language. Java is an instantly-recognizable brand name, and Sun has an interest, even a financial responsibility to their shareholders, in promoting that brand.
Second, does the name "Sun Java Desktop" imply implemenaton in Java? Sure you could choose to see it that way, but it doesn't actually CLAIM to be implemented in Java. It might merely imply it's a good platform for running Java applications.
Historical example: You are saying you believe you could use files created by Microsoft Office 2003 for Windows with Microsoft Office 98 for Macintosh? Without any file version compatibility problems? If MS had never released another version of Mac Office after 98, we would have begun to see file format incompatibility problems as new versions of Office for Windows came out because despite the best intentions of the folks who design those file formats, the original file format specification inevitably does not support every new feature.
The same will be the case if they stop developing Office for Mac after this 2004 version. We will soon start to see file version incompatibility problems. Perhaps they will be small, perhaps they will be large, but they will occur.
Mac users would feel the pinch as soon as MS shipped a new version of Office for Windows. Office v.X would be unable to read documents created with the hypothetical new Office Windows. Since most of the world uses Office for Windows, Macintosh users would soon find it very difficult to collaborate with their Windows-using colleagues.
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Could the cooling-off period limit their ability to respond to Microsoft's publicity machine during a potentially critical time?
Second, does the name "Sun Java Desktop" imply implemenaton in Java? Sure you could choose to see it that way, but it doesn't actually CLAIM to be implemented in Java. It might merely imply it's a good platform for running Java applications.
Historical example: You are saying you believe you could use files created by Microsoft Office 2003 for Windows with Microsoft Office 98 for Macintosh? Without any file version compatibility problems? If MS had never released another version of Mac Office after 98, we would have begun to see file format incompatibility problems as new versions of Office for Windows came out because despite the best intentions of the folks who design those file formats, the original file format specification inevitably does not support every new feature. The same will be the case if they stop developing Office for Mac after this 2004 version. We will soon start to see file version incompatibility problems. Perhaps they will be small, perhaps they will be large, but they will occur.
Mac users would feel the pinch as soon as MS shipped a new version of Office for Windows. Office v.X would be unable to read documents created with the hypothetical new Office Windows. Since most of the world uses Office for Windows, Macintosh users would soon find it very difficult to collaborate with their Windows-using colleagues.