Washington ? Sun Microsystems saw Microsoft’s decision to stop supporting Sun’s Java programming language  a subject of Microsoft’s ongoing antitrust case and a private suit by Sun  as an opportunity to highlight Microsoft’s “hostile business practices.”

The company’s strategy was outlined in internal documents produced by Microsoft on Tuesday during the second day of an antitrust trial in which nine states, including Kansas, are seeking tough penalties against Microsoft.

Sun officials wrote about plans to “re-enforce Java’s benefits,” “distribute through new channels” and “rally public opinion against Microsoft’s hostile business practices.”

A Microsoft lawyer, Steven Holley, asked a Sun executive about the documents in an attempt to show that Sun’s efforts to force Microsoft to carry an industry standard version of Java would only benefit Sun itself, rather than consumers.

Sun Vice President Richard Green said the company and consumers would have been better served if Microsoft kept support for Java in Microsoft’s latest Windows XP operating system.

“You have lemons, you have to make some lemonade here,” Green said.

Holley also produced Sun documents that assert that three top corporations  brokerage firm Merrill Lynch, news service Reuters and the electronics giant Thomson  prefer Microsoft’s comparable tools to those of Sun.

“All three customers expressed a lack of faith in Sun’s ability to perform, especially in the areas where we are directly competitive with Microsoft,” the Sun document stated.

Green said he wasn’t aware of the criticism and the company has received a lot of positive feedback as well.

Microsoft has long accused its rivals, including Sun, Oracle and AOL Time Warner, of using the courts for business gain.

The nine states asked U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on Monday to force computer giant to create a stripped-down version of its flagship Windows software that could incorporate competitors’ features.

The states also want Microsoft to divulge the blueprints for its Internet Explorer browser.