John O'Conner's Blog

Open Source Java!

I never thought it would happen. After all, I dismissed the idea of an open source Java platform once already. However, I've heard the message twice in the same number of days, once yesterday at NetBeans Day and again this morning in the JavaOne General Session. I didn't believe it yesterday. After all, it's possible I just misunderstood. However, after this morning I can't deny it any longer. Sun will release the Java platform to the open source community...I can barely write it.

Jonathan Schwartz, Sun CEO, asked the question bluntly, "Are you going to open source Java?" This time Rich Green, EVP of software at Sun, answered more clearly, "It's not a question of whether, but a question of how." I tried to believe I heard it wrong until Jonathan reiterated the message.

Yes, it's true, and the message is out. Sun will open source the Java platform. When? Rich didn't provide details on a timeframe. How? He didn't reveal that either. Rich said several times, though, that Sun is working on how to release an open source Java platform. He said it in front of how many? 14,000 people? Geez. I guess he's serious about it.

Comments

• Well... they better be careful. If Java splinters, then it is done for.

  Posted by: evickroy on May 17, 2006 at 11:30 AM

• 
  But what does it exacly mean, that Java will be open source?
  Java, the language, the JVM ?

  Will Sun allow people to create a port of the Sun JVM to another unsupported platform? For example XBox 360 or PS3?

  Posted by: carmello on May 17, 2006 at 02:03 PM

• What about support for arm? Apparently Sun have had a jvm for arm for quite some time that they would not deploy due to not being able to support its demand.

  Posted by: dotski81 on May 17, 2006 at 05:56 PM

• I guess we'd all better start looking at Perl and Python jobs because Java is going to be utterly destroyed when the Java haters get their hands on the JLS.

  Posted by: jwenting on May 18, 2006 at 06:35 AM

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