And businesses are demanding the Web and the Java platform as assurance that they won't be locked in again. This, of course, is all good news to you. As part of the Java community, you've been lauding the advantages of writing in the Java language for years now. But even more than that, you, as part of the Java community, have sought a technical platform based on the free exchange of ideas and fair competition. It's hard for me to envision another technology that delivers such a level playing field.
Open interfaces result in choice.
Choice spurs competition. Competition is the mother of innovation. The Java platform was invented by Sun Microsystems, but it truly is a product of open industry collaboration and cooperation. There is major intellectual property invested in the Java platform not only by Sun, but also by countless other companies and independent developers. The more than 50 application programming interfaces that define the Java platform were built with the help of this community.