Sun Wins Approval to Oversee Java Changes

Sun Microsystems Inc. said it won approval from a global standards body to be the channel for all changes in the Java programming language it developed. The Palo Alto-based computer and software company won 20 out of 25 votes from members of the International Organization for Standardization to be steward of the language. The U.S. and China voted against Sun’s application, Russia was late to the vote, and Switzerland and Italy abstained. The ISO vote means that changes in Java specifications will be passed through Sun to the international standards body for approval. The ISO is a nongovernmental, voluntary body that promotes international standards and cooperation on intellectual, scientific, technological and economic matters. Sun will gain some fees from companies that want to license the company’s Java software and trademark. Analysts said the company also might earn money from companies that want to use the Java trademark yet didn’t license the software. Sun shares rose $2.13 to close at $36.75 on Nasdaq.