SAN FRANCISCO--At its annual JavaOne Java developers' conference, Sun Microsystems today acknowledged one of the major platforms it has overlooked---its next-door neighbor, Apple Computer.

The lack of decent Java support on the Macintosh was something acknowledged by both Sun chairman and CEO Scott McNealy and Apple CEO Steve Jobs, who joined McNealy on stage to reveal that the two companies are working together to address the oversight. The two joked about the lack of cooperation, even though they are literally across the street from each other in Cupertino, Calif.

"To be honest, some of you have not been thrilled with Java on the Macintosh," Jobs told the overflowing crowd at the keynote. "That's because we haven't worked with Sun before."

"Well, that's your fault," McNealy quipped. Jobs responded that Sun was too busy putting Java "in light bulbs" to bother with the Mac.

"We are working to make the Macintosh the best Java-delivery vehicle on the planet," Jobs said. To that end, he said, Mac OS X, due in January, will come with Java 2 Standard Edition, featuring a Mac-optimized port of the HotSpot virtual machine as well as an optimized version of the "Swing" components for Mac OS X's new Aqua interface.

In a demo on Mac OS X Preview 4, released to developers in May, Apple demonstrated Java application support as well as integration between Java applications and its QuickTime multimedia playback technology.