I think the other bit he missed was the early focus Sun placed on Java Applets. I think they initially saw Java and JVM primarily as platform for distributing c

I think the other bit he missed was the early focus Sun placed on Java Applets. I think they initially saw Java and JVM primarily as platform for distributing client side code to web browsers, to set-top boxes, to mobile phones, etc. In this way Sun's focus on Java is analogous to Netscape's efforts to distribute a free web browser--they are trying to commoditize the client to sell more servers. Of course, as it played out Java got a lot more traction on the server side than the client side. (I think the ability to easily develop on Windows and deploy to Unix/Linux played a role in that.) But by 2002 Java had already pretty much lost on the browser side, supplanted by Flash and later robust JavaScript. I think 2002 might have been the thick of their JavaME (mobile platform) efforts though.