Sun Microsystems Inc. sued Microsoft Corp., claiming it violated a licensing agreement by failing to follow Sun’s specifications for using the popular Java language.
The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in San Jose, charges Microsoft with trademark infringement, false advertising and unfair competition. It seeks to bar use of a logo indicating that its software is Java-compatible unless Microsoft makes changes to its updated Internet browser and software used to develop programs.
The suit escalates the battle between Microsoft and Sun over Java, analysts said. Java lets programs run on any computer, something that could undermine Microsoft’s hold on the software market. Microsoft licensed the software and has developed ways to make Java programs run best on Microsoft’s software.
“This tests the stability of Java as it expands its reach,” said Eric Brown, an analyst at Forrester Research Inc. “Sun is protecting its investment, and they are escalating this one step at a time.”
Microsoft said that Sun’s claims were outrageous.
