Sun Announces Java Studio

Sun Announces Java Studio

Easiest Way to Create Dynamic Web Content with Java; "Java For the Rest of Us" Tool

JavaOne & SD West, San Francisco, CA - April 2, 1997 - Sun, Microsystems, Inc. today announced Java™ Studio™ authoring environment that facilitates the rapid creation of dynamic, interactive Java™ content into new or existing web pages. This innovative, powerful tool is classed as a development environment, but has the ease of use capabilities of a desktop productivity tool. Java Studio is ideal for web designers, content creators and working professionals who regularly lend their expertise to making Internet sites rich, compelling environments.

Java Studio authoring environment enables end-users to easily and visually create integrated or stand-alone Java solutions to access, manipulate and publish information using the Internet, without writing a single line of code. A Visual Java assembly tool, a What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) HTML authoring tool and a full complement of JavaBeans™ components -- reusable blocks of code -- deliver a breakthrough in ease-of-use. Written entirely in Java, Java Studio is supported on multiple platforms, and the resulting applications can be deployed everywhere, providing support for the broadest range of development and deployment platforms.

"Java Studio allows just about anyone to build the interactive, network-aware web documents of the future," said Larry Weber, vice president and general manger, Sun's WorkShop Products Group. "Use of JavaBeans™ components in Java Studio ensures users have access to an extensive collection of compelling components, and provides a high-volume delivery channel for component vendors."

"Now the knowledge worker or content creator can literally draw the power of Java into Web sites," said Evan Quinn, Research Director of Internet Software, International Data Corporation. "With Java Studio, we can add 'by anyone' to the 'write once, run anywhere' maxim."

Reusable JavaBeans Components

Java Studio authoring environment includes a rich and robust set of over 75 business components in six broad categories for building dynamic, network-aware web pages:

GUI controls for building user interfaces: All the AWT GUI controls, plus many advanced controls such as spin box, combo box and tabbed folder;
Data-aware components for viewing information from databases: tables, charts, graphs;
Relational database access components for connecting to databases: via JDBC™;
Multimedia components for viewing animated content with sound: image viewer, image animator, audio player;
Algorithmic components for organizing data: Sorting, MinMax, Iterators, etc.;
Other components: URL opener, email, progress bar, and image maps.

Announced separately today, Sun is partnering with leading ISV component vendors to provide a comprehensive set of JavaBeans components.

"We are extremely pleased to have this new licensing relationship with Sun," said Wayne Williams, President and CEO, JScape Corporation, "Java Studio is the key that will unlock the promise of component-based assembly of applications."

Visual Java: Dynamic Java Authoring

Visual Java provides a live interactive environment for creating dynamic Java content with JavaBeans components. This brings interactivity between web authors and information workers to a new level: JavaBeans components can both accept input and communicate with other JavaBeans. Using Java Studio to visually connect JavaBeans into customized applications `on the fly,' the JavaBeans application, transparent to information workers, performs complex tasks such as fetching data from a relational database and converting it into a chart or animation that information worker can manipulate, play an audio clip, or validate a credit card number. Changes are viewed immediately, providing an integrated RAD environment. A powerful wizard automates the process of adding additional components to the Visual Java palette.

Page Editor: Codeless WYSIWYG HTML Authoring

Sun is the only vendor to combine dynamic Java authoring and HTML authoring, providing the easiest to use, most productive and creative product available for the Internet. Integrated authoring technology pulls it all together - HTML content and Java applets - to facilitate rapid and easy delivery of solutions to the Web. Java Studio's Page Editor enables users to rapidly insert dynamic Java content onto existing web pages or into new pages. The web pages' HTML content can be easily created in Java Studio or developed with the users' HTML editor of choice. HTML version 3.2 tags are supported, as well as direct table editing, text flow around images, and client side image maps.

"Corel and Novell have announced co-packaging of Java Studio with their products," said Joe Keller, director of marketing, Sun's WorkShop Products. "This drives Java Studio onto the desktop of millions users, creating a tremendous opportunity for JavaBeans components vendors.

Pricing and Availability

Java Studio authoring environment will be available to early access users in late June via the web, http://www.sun.com/workshop. Pricing will be announced at a later date.

`Java Studio By Example' Book

Sun Microsystems Press will publish a hands-on book for Java Studio. 'Java Studio By Example' is expected to be available worldwide in late summer. For more information on Sun Microsystems Press, http://www.sun.com/books.

Sun Microsystems, Inc.

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, SunSoft, The Network Is the Computer, Java, Java WorkShop, JavaBeans and Java Studio are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries.