Visions of Network Computing by Sun, Netscape, and Oracle

Sun, Netscape, and Oracle view the Java technology as the next logical step in the evolution of enterprise computing. The basic premise of using Java for enterprise computing is that the “fat-client” desktop (the PC) is replaced by a thin-client hardware device, the network computer (shown in Figure 2-10 on the following page), which could be a Sun JavaStation or an Oracle version of a network computer. For example, press releases by Sun and Netscape describe the JavaStation (the Java terminal) as having a much simpler hardware design than fat clients, and, more importantly, the JavaStation is a stateless device. This further extends the concept of storing Java applets on a central server to a model in which all data, applications, and configuration information are stored on a central server.

Network computers will download Java applets.

FIGURE 2-10

Network computing allows Java applets to download from a central server and run on a Network Computer (NC).