Sun is working on a "Java OS" microkernel operating system for minimal Internet boxes. It will need 4MB-8MB of memory, and will not support Windows (or PC cards). [IW, 12/4/95, p. 104. EDUPAGE.]

Sun will ship its Macintosh Java interpreter in 1/96, and the Netscape and Spyglass web browsers will have Java plug-ins soon after. A new version of the LiveScript applet scripting language will be called JavaScript. The Java language could compete with C++ for much programming work, but is currently about 1/10 the speed of C due to its interpreted implementation. [, MacWEEK, 11/30/95. Chuck Morefield.]

A C|Net review of Java competitors Blackbird (Microsoft) and Shockwave (Macromedia) can be found on . [Alan Gatlin, Network News, 12/2/95.] (These don't necessarily compete as general programming languages. Java is essentially C++ without pointers.)

A group at MIT says that changes are needed if Java virtual machines are to run dynamic languages -- Lisp, Scheme, Dylan -- with reasonable speed. Guy Steele's work for Sun may help with this. The latest release of the Common Lisp CL-HTTP web server will serve Java source and byte code; . [John C. Mallery , comp.lang.lisp.mcl, 11/30/95. Chuck Morefield.] (CL-HTTP runs on Lisp machines, MCL, Allegro Common Lisp, and Lispworks under UNIX.)

A comparison of different WWW servers is maintained on , as part of a WWW server FAQ. [Paul Hoffman <@proper.com>, www-servers, net-hap, 9/14/95.]

JAVA-MAC is a new list for Java developers using Mac platforms. Send a "subscribe java-mac your@address" message to . [Sandra L. Schneible , NEW-LIST, 11/21/95.]