| ARABIAN COMPUTER NEWS EXCLUSIVE - MAY 5, 1997 |
| Middle East is ready for Java, says Sun |
Business across the Middle East are racing to deploy Java based applications and Network Computers,
according to Sun Microsystems. Sun's regional head office in Dubai claims that at least 10 companies
in the GCC region are performing pilot tests on Network Computers, and estimates the current base of
Java developers to be more than 500. "Companies in the Middle East are quick to recongize that the
market is moving in that direction. The level of enthusiasm and the increasing level of expertise
across the region is extremely encouraging," Ellie Warner , marketing manager, Sun Microsystems Middle
East told ACN exclusively.
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"One of the most notable Java enthusiasts has to be Habib Bank in Dubai. They have recently completed
an implementation in which they have totally redesigned their hardware and software infrastructures,
developed new Java based applications, and are now running on a network that is entirely front ended
with Java," Warner added.
"And the best thing about Java is its cross-platform availability. Not only is Habib running its own in-house developed applications, but it is also looking at selling them on as generic third party banking applications, because they will literally run anywhere," Warner told Arabian Computer News. Sun Microsystem used Oracle Open World in Vienna recently as a platform to demonstrate the success that Java has enjoyed around the world in its short life span. Arabian Computer News has told that there are currently 400,000 Java developers in the world - as many as they are thosedeveloping on the Windows platform. Sun invented Java two years ago with a specific task in mind, but the explosion of the Internet led to the rapid and widespread adoption of Java as an application builder. "With that came an avalanche. Over the past two years, 159 books |
on Java have been written in English, and
hundreds have been written in many other languages. There are another 140 books in production at this
time," Helmut Krings, vice president, Sun Microsystems Central Europe told Arabian News in Vienna.
"At the same time he development world has acquired Java knowledge. With 400,000 application developers working in Java, we think that there are going to be many new players in the software industry," he added. "Considering that Java is only around two years old, the level of adoption, development, and deployment in the region is staggering, and we're obviously very pleased about that. But one challenge that we are now faced with is the fact that Java is becoming Known as a generic programming l;anguage, and we are having to take steps to ensure that the Sun branding and Java branding remain together," Warner told Arabian Computer News. To tackle this problem, Sun Middle East is targeting high level executives across the region for regular fortnightly java breakfasts in which Sun will enhance the branding through technology updates and presentations over the next few months. |
