FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 1997-11-18

Sun Microsystems Inc. receives ISO/IEC approval as PAS submitter

The world's leading developer of information technology standards announced yesterday that it will allow Sun Microsystems Inc. to submit its Java programming language for consideration as an international standard. The joint technical committee on information technology of the International Organization for Standardization and the International Electrotechnical Committee (ISO/IEC JTC 1) will recognize Sun as a submitter of publicly available specifications (PAS). Sun is the first individual corporation to achieve such recognition.

The committee voted 20 to two in favor of PAS recognition for Sun. Two member bodies abstained and three did not submit a vote. The Standards Council of Canada, the Canadian member of the committee, voted in favor of Sun's application based on the recommendation of the Council's JTC 1 advisory committee. The advisory committee includes developers and users of information technology from across the country.

The PAS process allows specifications developed outside ISO and IEC to be submitted for consideration as international standards. This gives these specifications greater standing among the governments, corporations and other potential users in ISO's 120 members countries. Other recognized PAS submitters include X-Open, DAVIC (Digital Audio Visual Industry Council), VESA (Video Electronics Standards Association) and IrDA (Infrared Data Association).

The Standards Council is a Crown corporation with the mandate to promote efficient and effective voluntary standardization.

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