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Sun, Microsoft to outline alliance

Rivals set date for giving details of collaborative work.

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Stephen Shankland principal writer
Stephen Shankland has been a reporter at CNET since 1998 and writes about processors, digital photography, AI, quantum computing, computer science, materials science, supercomputers, drones, browsers, 3D printing, USB, and new computing technology in general. He has a soft spot in his heart for standards groups and I/O interfaces. His first big scoop was about radioactive cat poop.
Expertise processors, semiconductors, web browsers, quantum computing, supercomputers, AI, 3D printing, drones, computer science, physics, programming, materials science, USB, UWB, Android, digital photography, science Credentials
  • I've been covering the technology industry for 24 years and was a science writer for five years before that. I've got deep expertise in microprocessors, digital photography, computer hardware and software, internet standards, web technology, and other dee
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Stephen Shankland

SAN JOSE, Calif.--Sun Microsystems and Microsoft plan to share details of their cooperation in December, Sun CEO Scott McNealy said on Monday. The rivals signed a partnership in April to share patents and collaborate on getting each other's software to work better together.

Sun's chief technology officer, Greg Papadopoulos, and Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates will share collaboration plans next month. McNealy and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer might elaborate next quarter, McNealy said. Initial work involves interoperability for each company's authentication software, McNealy said. "Bringing those two together in a circle of trust, compatible, single sign-on kind of way will be a huge breakthrough," he said.