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Zona Study: Java Here to Stay

After several years of use, Java is firmly entrenched in the mainstream of business Web technology, according to the latest quarterly Zona Enterprise Usage Study (ZEUS), conducted by Zona Research Inc. (www.zonaresearch.com). The study was based on the third-quarter 1999 ZEUS responses of 139 IT professionals.

Web browser linkage and cross-platform compatibility were highest rated on a scale rating organizations' decisions to use Java, a reflection of both the growing importance of the Internet in business and the fact that enterprise networks vary greatly between enterprises. Legacy data access and development considerations were in the middle range of responses.

Five of the top six issues in the use of Java gained in importance since the first-quarter 1999 ZEUS. Only one, Java's position in regard to Microsoft, scored lower than its first-quarter rating despite Microsoft's recent battles with the Justice Department. Zona analysts report this indicates the shift of Java from the formerly much-heralded savior of the post-Microsoft world to that of a niche platform for Web and cross-platform development.

About the Author

Scott Bekker is editor in chief of Redmond Channel Partner magazine.

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