Print this article | E-mail this article | Comment on this article

Sun: Help Us Open Source Java

By Nate Mook, BetaNews

May 16, 2006, 4:44 PM

Following through on a promise it made earlier this month, Sun confirmed at the JavaOne conference in San Francisco Tuesday that it would open the source code to Java, but said it needs the community's help in getting it done to prevent fragmentation of the technology.

"The question is not whether we will open-source Java, the question is how," Sun CEO Jonathan Schwartz said during his opening keynote. His statement followed a similar one by Rich Green, Sun's executive vice president of software, but neither provided any specific timeline for the move.

Developers have repeatedly called on Sun to open source Java, as they said such a move would help to spur development on the platform. The company has resisted such pressure, but it has taken steps to make it easier for developers to gain access to portions of the code.

While Sun did not provide JavaOne attendees any Java source code, it is opening up a number of related enterprise technologies. Sun Java Studio Creator and System Portal Server are among those that are available to developers starting Tuesday.

In addition, Sun rolled out a new licensing program for operating systems, which will make it easier for companies -- including FreeBSD, Linux and OpenSolaris vendors -- to bundle the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) with their distributions. Restrictive licensing has held back Java's adoption on these platforms.

Green says Sun will now work with the Java community to figure out the best way to open source the platform and avoid problems that have plagued Linux and other open technologies. Compatibility is a primary concern from developers who want to ensure their applications will work in any Java environment.

"This is something for us to go figure out," Green said.

Add a Comment (12 Comments)

BetaNews reserves the right to remove any comment at any time for any reason. Please keep your responses appropriate and on topic. Foul language and personal attacks will not be tolerated.

By Rum

edited May 17, 2006 - 8:57 AM

It's really only a license issue. With all these dam restriction Open Sourcing Java in one way or another and making it compatible with OSI (Open Source initiative) can smooth the pipes.
Java has their standard base, like Linux Standard Base, to keep things standard.
Standards go way beyond fragmentation. Standards go beyond code because standards is law.

It's really the standards that rule. If someone else comes out with a new standard that's better then Sun then good for society and Sun will die like they should in a free market system.

In the world at large, standards exist beyond the monolithic system. If you think having only one Java and one standard is standard, think again.

Score: 0

By spiked

edited May 17, 2006 - 6:24 AM

Sun doesn't get it. It's not truly open if it can't become fragmented. That's just a fundamental aspect of open source. Some people (like Sun) would call it a weakness. Others would call it a strength.

There's no such thing as an open source license which doesn't allow fragmentation. All the variations of open source licensing basically boil down to different restrictions on: (a) giving proper credit, (b) releasing source for your mods, (c) what you can call your version of the code, (d) in some cases, whether you can use the code in military vs. commercial vs. academic situations.

With Linux, absolutely anybody can modify the kernel on their own and release it at the risk of fragmenting the platform. This is all intentionally part of the open source deal. They would be required to release all source for their mods and Linus reserves the right to prohibit a modified kernel from using the name Linux (in countries where he has been granted trademark). Other than these restrictions, anybody is totally free to add a ham sandwich to Linux if they want to, and that's how it should be.

What Sun is trying to pull is equivalent to Microsoft's "Shared Source Initiative" where you can look at the source code, and in some cases you can make mods for your own private use, but you can't distribute those mods in any way (neither binary nor source form). That's fine if Sun isn't willing to go any further, but they need to be honest and say so, instead of pretending that they want to be truly open.

Score: 0

By darkxiii_ndp

posted May 17, 2006 - 10:56 AM

SUN is right. Java is not a OS like Linux. What will happen if it become fragmented? Program A need JRE A. Program B need JRE B... to run. Itll be a nightmare of SUN, itll kill java.

Score: 0

By Keith Lard

posted May 17, 2006 - 8:12 AM

"I'm sorry your JavaABC is not compatible with JavaDEF, please install the correct type of java and try again"...

We have only just got over the mess Microsoft made by releasing their own java JVM, the last thing Sun and the Java language needs, is more than 1 type of java.

Score: 0

By spiffyjeff

edited May 17, 2006 - 6:53 AM

What exactly is fragmentation? I can't seem to find the same context on wikipedia.

Also, how would this "help to spur development on the platform" ?

Score: 0

By ds0934

posted May 17, 2006 - 11:06 AM

Fragmentation is arguably a bad choice for describing the potential of "forked" development projects. Essentially, the same thing happening with Linux distros. As many other comments have eluded: The potential for various flavors to begin competing for different platforms could be disasterous. Just how much control Sun can maintain over the Java effort during open source is unknown. Even with the control Linus and his friends have over the Linux kernel doesn't help with the end results of distro packages, which everyone that uses Linux knows can create a real headache at times.

Score: 0

By Kompressor

posted May 16, 2006 - 6:54 PM

I really hate Java. The code, not the coffee.

Score: 0

By darkxiii_ndp

posted May 17, 2006 - 11:07 AM

I dunno why does you hate it? Java is one of langs that have the best syntax (easy to read/understand code, I like syntax of Java and C# the most).

Score: 0

By Mark Gillespie

posted May 17, 2006 - 2:52 AM

Because???

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted May 17, 2006 - 8:29 AM

...no caffeine? (The code, not the coffee)

Score: 0

By vinodis

posted May 17, 2006 - 1:15 AM

Get a life!

Score: 0

By LRN

posted May 16, 2006 - 6:21 PM

What license it will be? We need not only open source code, but also GPL-compatible license.

Anyway, this will help OpenSource developers to make OpenSource Java (current version of OSJ sux)

Score: 0

Dec 5 - 1:45 AM ET Shazam: eight million songs of the eternal Now

Dec 4 - 7:30 PM ET Comcast to offer bandwidth consumption monitor

Dec 4 - 5:37 PM ET Counterfeiters sing the 'Blue' as Microsoft lawyers up

Dec 4 - 4:40 PM ET Opera 10 alpha shows off new Presto rendering engine

Dec 4 - 2:29 PM ET Apple: Psystar clone-maker is working with unnamed collaborators

Dec 4 - 2:21 PM ET Windows Live rollout sketchy, team apologizes

Dec 4 - 2:20 PM ET Stinging from a revenue shortfall, Adobe to shed workers

Dec 4 - 11:47 AM ET The storm hits AT&T, with a five-digit headcount reduction

Dec 4 - 11:42 AM ET TV sports adopts Web coverage, plays with iPhones

Dec 4 - 11:24 AM ET Microsoft seeks 'community' help to make IE8 Standards Mode work out