Googly JRE

While everyone is waxing poetic about Google's distribution of StarOffice or a potential GoogleOffice, I find the distribution of the JRE (Java Run Environment) through the Google Toolbar hella more interesting. One of the issues with Java applications (in my humble non-techie opinion) is the difficulty of maintaining an updated JDK. I have unfortunate first hand knowledge of this issue trying to distribute an applet that runs on Java, the eBay Live Auction platform. While eBay Live Auctions runs perfectly on Java 1.5, users need to upgrade from previous versions, which is both a hassle and (bluntly) a loss in revenue as some users simply don't upgrade.

By distributing and auto-updating the JRE for Google toolbar users, Java developers have to worry less about update issues per the above and now have access to a massive end-user base of toolbar users now ready to use Java apps. So if I'm choosing between .Net or Java for writing an app, the Google deal makes Java a lot more appetizing...

Meanwhile, Google now enables a virtual operating platform for the web AND desktop via its toolbar, with a large , well established Java developer community. An operating platform and developer community which Google can now help guide for its benefit. Consider a partnership between Sun and Google... who holds more leverage?