There is a rumour that Sun and Microsoft are to announce that Java capabilities will be embedded in future releases of Windows operating systems.
Until now, the only real tools for using Java-based applets have been the few Java-enabled World-Wide Web browsers.
There has been talk about Java-enabled network computers which some in the industry say will revolutionise the software industry by allowing the use of Java applets and applications on demand.
But the only way to run applets is with Netscape, although Microsoft's Internet Explorer will soon support Java, and fully fledged Java applications require installing the complete Java Developer's Kit which is an inconvenient way to run an application., especially for computer novices.
With the move to embed Java capabilities into a major operating system, Java now has the chance to live up to it's potential for the development of useful application software.
With Java embedded in Windows 95, the next version of Word could theoretically be written in Java as could spreadsheets, graphics applications and networking applications including Web browsers like Netscape.
Today's Java software focuses on adding special effects and interactive enhancements to Web pages but does not offer true utility.