It's interesting that as Apple is standardizing on Java, and moving away from Objective C... Microsoft is doing what it always does - proprietary "standards":
Microsoft next week plans to unveil a new, Java-like software programming language intended to simplify the building of Web services using its software, sources said.
Microsoft executives said the new language, an easier-to-use version of the popular C++ language, is intended to drastically simplify and speed up software development as well as promote the company's Next Generation Windows Services (NGWS) initiative"
