Sun Microsystems Announces JavaPC

A Low-Cost Software Upgrade Converting Old PCs into Java-Enabled Network Computers

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - April 2, 1997 - Sun Microsystems, Inc. announced JavaPC™, a software technology that converts older DOS PCs simply and easily into network computers. JavaPC will be available in the Fall of 1997 and will sell for under $100.

Existing PCs require the individual user to maintain their own software, costing corporations hundreds of millions of dollars. By connecting these machines to the network and create a "webtop" environment, companies can centralize and simplify software maintenance. The webtop computing architecture stores an end-user's computing "desktop" on a server, resulting in a "virtual" webtop that's available from any machine.

"JavaPC is revolutionary," said David Spenhoff, director of product marketing at JavaSoft, a business unit of Sun Microsystems, Inc. "There are 181 million eligible PCs in the marketplace. JavaPC takes these complex machines and converts them into network computers that require almost no software maintenance and provides access to data anywhere. JavaPC lets corporations leverage a whole new computing paradigm with a simple software upgrade."

JavaPC includes HotJava™ Views™, user software that includes applications business workers use most, such as e-mail, scheduling, Internet access and name directory access. JavaPC can also support Java™ applications. JavaPC is extremely flexible -- end-users can toggle between the JavaPC environment and the Windows or DOS platforms already loaded on the machine, so they have the best of both worlds.

In addition to HotJava Views, the user software, JavaPC includes the Java Virtual Machine™ and class libraries, which enable Java programs to run directly with DOS, the software foundation for every Windows machine. JavaPC works with 486 or Pentium PCs.

"We've had enormous interest from retailers and resellers who want to distribute JavaPC for us," said Spenhoff. "It's clear why interest is so strong. With JavaPC companies can get started with network computing without having to purchase new hardware."

JavaSoft, headquartered in Cupertino, CA, is business unit of Sun Microsystems, Inc. The company's mission is to develop, market and support the Java™ technology and products based on it. Java supports networked applications and enables developers to write applications once that will run on any Java-enabled machine. JavaSoft develops applications, tools and systems platforms to further enhance Java as the programming standard for complex networks such as the Internet and corporate intranets.

Since its inception in 1982, a singular vision, "The Network Is The Computer™," has propelled Sun Microsystems, Inc., (NASDAQ "SUNW"), to its position as a leading provider of hardware, software and services for establishing enterprise-wide intranets and expanding the power of the Internet. With more than $7 billion in annual revenues, Sun can be found in more than 150 countries and on the WorldWide Web at http://www.sun.com.

Sun, the Sun logo, Sun Microsystems, "The Network Is The Computer," JavaSoft, the Java logo, JavaPC, HotJava Views, Java Virtual Machine, JavaOS and Java are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries.

Press announcements and other information about Sun Microsystems are available on the Internet via the World Wide Web. Type http://www.sun.com at the URL prompt.

For inquiries about JavaSoft products and programs call (800) JAVASOFT.