Subject: Sun to use PAS process to submit Java

From: Steve Carson <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 1997 06:23:40 -0800

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                           FOR MORE INFORMATION:
                                                Sun Microsystems, Inc.
                                                Lisa Poulson (408) 343-1630
                                                [email-masked]
        
                                                http://java.sun.com

SUN SUBMITS APPLICATION TO BECOME JTC 1 PAS SUBMITTER

Sun Applying to Standardize Java Technologies

CUPERTINO, CA -- March 17, 1997 -- March 17, 1997 -- Cupertino, CA --
Sun Microsystems, Inc. today announced that it has submitted an
application to ISO/IEC JTC 1 to become a Recognized Publically
Available Specification (PAS) submitter for its Java technologies.  JTC
1 will review Sun's submission and is expected to announce its decision
in July 1997.

ISO/IEC JTC 1 (International Organization for Standardization /
International Electrotechnical Commission Joint Technical Committee 1)
is the premiere information technology standards developing
organization in the world.

In 1995, JTC 1 made the decision to recognize appropriate organizations
as submitters of PAS to JTC 1 for rapid approval as international
standards. This enables organizations to evaluate, define and submit
specifications to JTC 1 to facilitate development of industry
standards.

"JTC 1 recognized early on the value of the work of other organizations
and the contribution they make to International IT standardization.
The PAS process aims at complementing existing or forthcoming JTC 1
programs by other leading edge activity with the objective of providing
the best standards worldwide " said  Lisa Rajchel, Director
International Secretariats and Administrator of ISO/IEC's JTC 1
Secretariat at the American National Standards Institute.

"Providing the capability of accepting standard solutions to IT
problems that have been developed outside JTC 1 has been a significant
step in JTC 1 and we are delighted that the process is being used ."

According to Sergio Mazza, ANSI president and chief executive officer,
Sun Microsystems  decision to submit its Java technology to JTC 1 is
indicative of the value it places in the formal standards process.

"ANSI has worked very aggressively at the international table to
encourage the submission of such work products," Mr. Mazza said.  "We
are pleased that Sun Microsystems has decided to take this step because
this action demonstrates that the standards process can be responsive
to the needs of industry -- particularly in such a fast-paced high
technology sector."

"We are extremely pleased to have the opportunity to submit our
application to JTC 1," said Jim Mitchell, Vice President of Technology
and Architecture at JavaSoft, a Sun Microsystems, Inc. Business. "In
examining our standardization options, our primary goal has been to
find a way to preserve the industry's substantial investment in Java.
The PAS process will do just that while minimizing the time to approve
the Java technologies as formally recognized international standards."

To date, EWOS (European Workshop for Open Systems), X-Open, DAVIC
(Digital Audio Visual Council) and VESA (Video Electronics Standards
Association) have been approved by JTC 1 as Recognized PAS Submitters.

Sun's application was transmitted to Mrs. Rajchel, on March 14, 1997.
The JTC 1 Secretariat distributes the application to each JTC 1 voting
member for ballot. The voting members are given three months to review,
comment upon, and  vote on the submission. The JTC 1 Secretariat then
collects and tabulates the votes and comments and forwards the results
to Sun Microsystems.

"While JTC 1 evaluates the PAS application, Sun will prepare a roadmap
for submitting Java technologies to JTC 1," said Mitchell. " the PAS
 process can be a highly effective means for the Java technologies'
formal acceptance as a world wide standard -- both for the technologies
that are ready to be submitted immediately, as well as for each element
that matures in the future."

ISO and IEC are headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland (www.iso.ch and
www.iec.ch) and the JTC 1 Secretariat is administered by the American
National Standards Institute located at 11 West 42nd Street, New York,
NY, 10036 (www.ansi.org).

ANSI is a private, non-profit membership organization that coordinates
the U.S. voluntary standards system, bringing together interests from
the private and public sector to develop voluntary standards for a wide
array of industries.  ANSI is the official U.S. member to the world s
leading standards bodies, the International Organization for
Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission
via the U.S. National Committee. The Institute s membership includes
more than 1,300 national and multinational companies, 35 government
agencies, 20 institutions and 260 professional, technical, trade, labor
and commercial organizations.

JavaSoft, headquartered in Cupertino, Calif., is business unit of Sun
Microsystems, Inc. The company's mission is to develop, market and
support the JavaTM 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
systems platforms, tools, and applications 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
ComputerTM," 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 World Wide Web at
http://www.sun.com.

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Steve Carson                 phone:   +1-505-521-7399
GSC Associates Inc.          fax:     +1-505-521-9321
5272 Redman Road             e-mail:  [email-masked]
Las Cruces, NM 88011 USA
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