Microsoft's Letter To Customers.
Re: Sun v. Microsoft.
Date: October 9, 1997.
Source: Microsoft.

A Letter to Our Customers Regarding the Sun Lawsuit

October 9, 1997

Dear Microsoft Customer,

As you have probably heard, Microsoft was notified yesterday that Sun Microsystems is pursuing legal action regarding a contract dispute between our two companies. It is disappointing this dispute couldn't be resolved without Sun filing a lawsuit. We are in compliance with the contract, and we fully expect the court to agree.

You probably have some questions about what the suit is all about and what it means for you. The dispute centers on some terms and conditions of a contract and whether we can continue to use some Java marketing logos. This is a disagreement between Microsoft and Sun. Your use of any version of Internet Explorer is not a part of this dispute.

The other question you may be asking is, "Should I be looking at Microsoft's new Internet Explorer 4.0 browser and is it good if I am interested in Java?" To that I can give you an unqualified yes. Learn about Internet Explorer 4.0 on our website at www.microsoft.com/ie/. Check out all of the reviews and the critical acclaim that Internet Explorer 4.0 has received at http://www.microsoft.com/ie/press/reviews-f.htm?/ie/press/ie4read.htm. Test Internet Explorer 4.0 yourself against the competition.

Ironically, one of the many reasons Internet Explorer 4.0 is sweeping the reviews is our Java support. Not only do we pass more of Sun's compatibility tests than any other vendor (including Sun itself), but the reviews mentioned above cite Internet Explorer 4.0's superiority in Java speed and overall implementation.

The response so far has been overwhelming. We have downloaded over 2 million copies of Internet Explorer 4.0 from our site alone in less than a week. Twenty major corporations have already announced they are standardizing on Internet Explorer 4.0 on more than 300,000 desktops, and the top 10 PC makers and Internet access providers, plus hundreds more representing an installed based of over 50 million users, are shipping Internet Explorer 4.0 to their customers.

Over the coming weeks you will likely hear a lot of rumors and speculation about this dispute. We will keep you posted as we can. I want to let you know that even though these debates will be going on, the product groups at Microsoft will remain focused on building great products. We are continuing our work to deliver the best, fastest, and most functional software for you to use, deploy, and enjoy.

Thank you for using our products; we appreciate your support.

Sincerely,

 

Brad Chase
Vice President
Microsoft Corporation