(October 25, 2004 4:24PM) - After publicly retracting the results of J2EE versus .NET benchmark tests it conducted back in 2002, The Middleware Company (TMC) bravely ventured recently to revisit this minefield. From IBM's point of view, according to an internal document obtained by WebSphere Journal, TMC has managed to blow itself up all over again! What follows is the October 2004 report by the IBM Competitive Technology Lab in its entirety.

IBM Response to the Study Entitled "Comparing Microsoft .NET and IBM WebSphere/J2EE" by The Middleware Company

The latest Middleware Company study is flawed and does not accurately reflect the capability of WebSphere J2EE vs. Microsoft .NET. Like two previous discredited Middleware Company studies, this study was funded by Microsoft. While expert Microsoft programmers were allowed to contribute to the .NET side, neither IBM nor other WebSphere J2EE product experts were invited to contribute to the testing.

The Middleware Company publicly retracted the results of its previous J2EE vs. .NET study because of serious errors in its testing methodologies and its failure to invite J2EE vendors to participate.[1] This study has similar problems. The products and toolsets compared in the testing were mismatched, and relatively crude WebSphere J2EE programming techniques were used rather than the most optimal tools and programming methodologies. Statements made within the study show that the choice of tools and methodologies were purposeful.