Sun Agrees to Talk to IBM over Open Sourcing Java

comforteagle writes "Sun has agreed to meet with IBM to further discuss the issue of open sourcing Java with them. 'Sun is closely evaluating the effectiveness of the process.' Could Sun be coming around to actually doing this?"

Comments

Sounds good

[BCW2]

An open source Java would definatly benifit all of us. Faster bug fixes, more creativity, this universal language will shine, and it's good now. Anything to overpower that bastardized version that M$ did, it doesn't even work with windows half the time.

It might be arecord, 15 inches of snow in High Point, NC as of now.

OS/390, z/OS

[Espectr0]

Seems we won't be getting free OS goodies:

"When asked whether IBM would be as willing to create open-source versions of its OS/390 or z/OS, Sutor said: "We're not suggesting Sun open source its directory software or proprietary stuff. Java is already in the JCP [Java Community Process]. It is already a community process that many people have contributed to. It's a mistake to look at it as though Sun is the sole author, and this is not any of their proprietary products.""

Full artical text

[Anonymous Coward]

In response to an open letter from IBM asking Sun Microsystems Inc. to join the company in developing an open-source version of Java, Sun plans to meet with IBM to discuss the issue, Sun sources said.

Sun officials planned to meet with IBM as early as Thursday to discuss the merits of whether the company should work with IBM on an independent project to create an open-source implementation of Java.

According to Sun, the company is in agreement with IBM's letter in many ways, and over the last two years Sun has made "significant" Java contributions to open source through The Apache Group; portions of the XML processing engine, through the Web Pack contribution last year; and the Java 2 Enterprise Edition processing engine known as Tomcat. "Sun is closely evaluating the effectiveness of the process," a Sun spokesperson said.

Sun said it will make an official statement about IBM's offer later on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Bob Sutor, IBM's director of WebSphere Infrastructure Software, in an interview with eWEEK, said, "We need an absolutely official open-source implementation of Java."

To read the full interview, click here..

Sutor said IBM is not trying to change things right away. "We're trying to walk before we run on this," he said. "We're not looking for the world on Day One."

But what IBM is offering is "to put people on this and to donate source code."

Sutor said IBM has proven its open-source mettle with its experience with the Eclipse open-source Java-based development platform, its success with Linux, and work the company has done with Apache.

In addition, Sutor said an open-source Java implementation will spur innovation and help generate revenue for developers. "This would be a boon for Linux," he said. "If every Linux distribution had a full implementation of Java, it would spur innovation. The money is not in this base-level plumbing, it's in what you add on top."

When asked whether IBM would be as willing to create open-source versions of its OS/390 or z/OS, Sutor said: "We're not suggesting Sun open source its directory software or proprietary stuff. Java is already in the JCP [Java Community Process]. It is already a community process that many people have contributed to. It's a mistake to look at it as though Sun is the sole author, and this is not any of their proprietary products."

Moreover, on the issue of Sun ceding control of Java should an open-source implementation surface, Sutor said: "They'll have less control, but they speak very highly of Linux," noting that Linux is not controlled by any one vendor but many benefit from it. "This is the logical next step in progressing the platform."

IBM's vice president of emerging Internet technologies, Rod Smith, sent the letter Wednesday night to Rob Gingell, Sun's chief engineer, vice president and fellow.

Citing an eWEEK article as inspiration (see "Sun: 'Secret Negotiations' on Eclipse Continue"), Smith said IBM is ready to work together with Sun on an open-source Java.

In the article Smith cited, Simon Phipps, Sun's chief technology evangelist, asked: "Why hasn't IBM given its implementation of Java to the open-source community?"

Wrote Smith in his letter: "Simon's comment appears to be an offer to jointly work toward this common goal. IBM is a strong supporter of the open source community, and we believe that a first class open source Java implementation would further enhance Java's position in the industry by spurring growth of new applications and encouraging new innovation in the Java platform."

Moreover, "IBM has been calling on Sun for years to open up Java because it will spur innovation," said an IBM spokesperson. "Now IBM is throwing down the gauntlet."

Rick Ross, president of Javalobby Inc., of Cary, N.C., an association of Java developers with more than 100,000 members, said, "On th