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Sun will Open Java's Source
bckrispi writes "An announcement from Sun spokesman Raghavan Srinivas indicates that, contrary to what we've heard in the past, Java will be Open-sourced. "We haven't worked out how to open-source Java, but at some point it will happen," Srinivas said."
ESR has something to say about free hardware.
Remember that java isn't just the jvm or the class library source. It also includes JSSE, java's encryption framework which probably can't be open sourced (comercial restrictions, export laws, legal liabilities of possible changes to shipped trusted certificates...). I am sure there are other pieces that are sensitive as well. You wouldn't be able to use SSL out of the box with a JRE that didn't have a JSSE implementation.
"So you call this your free contry, tell me why it costs so much to live?" - Three Doors Down
Is it really that important to be able to distribute the built binaries for people? Without paying Sun for it, that is?
In Soviet Washington the swamp drains you.
Umm, how are Linus and RMS like minded? Whilst they both support Freedom of software, they're completely different in their philosophies, ethics and favourite programming languages. Saying they're like minded is like saying that Microsoft and the Salvation Army are like minded because they both happen to produce goods and sell them.
Cogito, ergo sig.
QT/KDE Java already exists.
It's hard to be religious when certain people are never incinerated by bolts of lightning.
Okay, I know, I'm getting off topic. But here's a link telling us how RMS views other FOSS advocates anyway.
Cogito, ergo sig.
Actually, the Java Desktop is a Linux distro running GNOME. That's the only GPL part there is (and it has no connection to Java other than coming with a Java VM).
The shitstorms are because Die-Hard Linux geeks/distros want to have everything on their computer/CDs under the GPL.
I don't believe you. Do those distros ship without Perl and Apache, which are both not GPL licensed?
IF they release it under the GPL, I see this making the open-source world a lot friendlier to Java.
Open-source != Free. A significant group of people prefers a BSD-like license over the GPL. A GPL-compatible BSD-like license will be usable by both GPL and non-GPL programmers. Most programming language implementations do not use the GPL, and that is probably for a good reason:
Python - BSD-like license
Perl - Artistic
Gcc - GPL (but glibc is LGPL!)
Zope - BSD-like
Php - BSD-like
Scheme - BSD-like
Ada - Artistic
Eiffel - BSD-like
TCL/TK - BSD-like
Furthermore, the GPL may be a serious problem for Sun. Not all Java code is necessarily copyrighted by them. They might have licensed some code from others. With a BSD-like license, they can just keep those parts with their original license. A GPLed Java would require relicensing, which Sun cannot do. Another problem may be patents. Sun owns quite a few Java-related patents and the GPL requires them to give everyone a free license to those patents. That would allow MS to use those patents in their software and even to build another evil Java clone, but then, Sun wouldn't be able to do anything about it. Another patent problem may be that third party patents cannot be used in GPLed software (even though Sun can license it). So Sun might not be able to include some functionality in a GPLed Java.
The Drowned and the Saved - Primo Levi
Which is great until you want to have a GUI. Although it's being worked on, GNU Classpath doesn't really support Swing. Of course, it sounds like mostly Java is used for non-graphical programs anyway, but not always. Open-sourcing Java would mean that it could be included by distros and used for desktop apps.
Centralization breaks the internet.
Create native, cross-platform GUI applications
Create native, cross-platform GUI applications, revisited
Not compile once, run everywhere, maybe write once, compile everywhere, but that is Java, GPLd with a GUI.