Q4011 Why aren't Java Compatibility issues as much a problem as JavaScript?

irt.org | Knowledge Base | Java | Q4011 [ previous next ]

Q4011 Why aren't Java Compatibility issues as much a problem as JavaScript?

JavaScript suffers severely from 'versionitis' because the two players Microsoft and Netscape have different document object models. In other words, instead of joining forces and offering a complete JavaScript standard they stick to their own standards. This means that for anything more than elementary JS programming the programmer has to check specifically for which browser it is running on.

Java on the other hand has a standard that is being evolved at one source - Sun Microsystems Inc which then licenses it to be used with all the browsers. This directly ensures that Java code runs more evenly irrespective of OS and browser platforms. (Well pray to God and DOJ that it continues that way).