Sun's inconsistent attitude towards the LGPL

Man, I feel like I've done nothing but complain on this blog lately! I promise, I'll get back to posting netbeans RCP coding tips and stuff.

However, John Reynolds posted a link to an article inviting comments on Sun's OSS strategy. I couldn't resist sending along one of my little pet peeves...

Mr. Phipps:

I saw your invitation to comment to this email address on John <br>Reynolds' blog.  There is one aspect of Sun's OSS strategy <br>that's been particularly bothersome to me and others on the <br>NetBeans project.

<br>Lots of stuff done by Sun employees and posted to java.net are <br>LGPL'ed.  Examples include SwingLabs, JDIC, and the SwingWorker <br>backport to JDK 1.4.  Presumably, the intention is to allow other <br>projects to use these libraries (both OSS and proprietary), while <br>forcing back any improvements into the library.

<br>It doesn't work.

<br>Both proprietary software companies and many OSS projects <br>(including NetBeans) won't touch LGPL'ed libraries.  Whether <br>their concerns are valid or not (I think they are), we're left in <br>the rediculous scenario where one Sun OSS project (NetBeans) <br>cannot make use of other Sun OSS projects.

<br>Sun Legal really needs to decide what it thinks of the LGPL.  It <br>should either be eliminated in favor of the SPL or similar, or it <br>should be allowed to be used by non-LGPL Sun projects across the <br>board.

<br>Thanks for listening :)

Cheers,
Rich Unger
NetBeans Governance Board