Sun, Microsoft get closer

InternetNews | at | by Mike

Sun Microsystems and Microsoft are working on new specifications that would allow Web single sign-on between their operating systems.

The companies, whose goal is to help Windows and Java work together, have also inked a licensing deal to allow Windows to run on Sun hardware and teamed up to manage Web services. Plans to make their service-oriented architecture strategies interoperable are also forthcoming, company officials said.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and Sun CEO Scott McNealy promised as much during a press event to announce the progress in the companies' 10-year technical agreement, which began a year ago.