Kevin Hause, who tracks interactive business for IDC, thinks that it is too soon to say whether Sun will be able to dominate the cable set-top box market, as cable operators are hedging their bets on various operating systems.

FORBES: Will there be Java everywhere?

"Sun has become a premier software provider to the set-top box market, and enjoys a good reputation in the cable industry, " says Cynthia Brumfield, a senior analyst at Paul Kagan Associates.

FORBES: Will there be Java everywhere?

With the potential set-top box market expected to be five times the size of that for personal computers, Sun sees a bigger opportunity in this marketplace, Brumfield adds.

FORBES: Will there be Java everywhere?