Thanks Stefan. "But like other companies, Sun has been rattled by the technology slump. In its second quarter, ending in December, the company lost $431 million, compared to a $423 million profit the year before. Cutbacks in capital spending meant far slower sales of the company's high-end computers. Last October, the company cut 3,900 jobs, the first layoffs in its history. Sun has also been spooked by the .NET Web services initiative of its hated rival, Microsoft Corp. .NET aims to make Microsoft's software interact seamlessly over corporate networks and the Internet. If .NET becomes the standard in Web services, it undercuts Sun ONE, an alternative Web services strategy, based upon the company's popular Java computing system. Sun is fighting back, not only by aggressively marketing Sun ONE but also by filing an antitrust suit Friday charging that Microsoft has sought to destroy Java and seeking damages that could reach $1 billion."
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