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A way to connect hardware devices on a
network intelligently, irrespective of their make or type. When a device
is added to a Jini-based network, it posts a list of its resources and
capabilities to a central database used by every other device on the
network. When something else comes along that wants to use those services,
the instructions for how to do so are already contained in the pcs,
wireless pads and even televisions on a particular network, without the same
operating system.
Jini is the invention of sun microsystems
and is baseed on its Java technology. Jini's various champions have
described a gigantic future global computer network, in which everything
understands everything else and technology is freed from the tyranny of
large, monopolistic suppliers of operating systems. But this Utopia has so
far failed to materialise. Massive indifference from hardware manufacturers,
in particular, has scuppered many of Sun's plans, and the technology
underlying Jini is now being deployed in other more immediately relevant
areas such as web services. |
