Sun Shines On New Webtop Technology

Sun Microsystems Inc. said today it has rolled out a
technology that will change the way users access office productivity
applications.

In a company statement the software builder said the new release is
called the Sun Open Net Environment (Sun ONE) Webtop, and will
provide Internet service providers (ISPs) with the ability to deliver
branded, customized content to their users.

Sun ONE includes an architecture and roadmap based on open standards,
like Java and XML, to take advantage of a new generation of smart Web
services. The product is meant to simplify the way in which both Web
and open smart services are created, assembled and deployed, the
company said.

The customizable Webtop allows application integration with
distributed Web services, accessible via Internet or intranet. The
Webtop is also universally accessible from a wide range of devices
including Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) and Wireless Application
Protocol (WAP) enabled cell phones, Sun said.

The technology will allow custom applications that will help
companies decrease on-site investment in IT platform and staff and
offer scalability, Sun said.

Sun said the centralized management of office productivity services
can run software that is cheaper and easier to maintain than
traditional PC-based applications. The new product, formerly known as
project StarPortal, is currently available to a limited number of
customers, but Sun said it expected it to be widely available by the
end of the first quarter. The company added that Sun ONE is based on
StarOffice components and is compatible with other productivity
suites, including Microsoft Office software.

The company is at http://www.sun.com.