SUN Releases Java under GPL2

[Dr. C]

SUN has released Java under the GPL2 complete with a video presentation from RMS

http://www.sun.com/2006-1113/feature/index.jsp

[earobinson]

Ya Sun!

[DC@DR]

That's the move we've been waiting for years from Sun, cheers :)

[.t.]

Indeed. What a waste of effort the gcj guys must have put in though, now...

[Anthem]

I'm shocked more people aren't commenting on this. Java just became a part of the standard Ubuntu install. It's a very good day for Free Software.

[earobinson]

Well to be fair we knew it was going to happen for a while. http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=295354

[!nkubus]

I'm shocked more people aren't commenting on this. Java just became a part of the standard Ubuntu install. It's a very good day for Free Software.

Indeed it's a reallly good day forpen Source. I hope in the future we will see great things in java like lower memory consumption, some native linux Gui IDE.

Cheers to sun

[Anthem]

Well to be fair we knew it was going to happen for a while. http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=295354
That was the rumor, but never finalized.

The GPL thing is very good news, as well. I figured they'd go CDDL.

[.t.]

Indeed. However, I doubt it will be in the default install... It's already tight in there!

[Dr. C]

This is great news that goes far beyond Ubuntu and GNU/Linux. It impacts all sorts of devices cellphones, PDA's etc. I also find the choice of the GPL very significant.

[earobinson]

That was the rumor, but never finalized.

The GPL thing is very good news, as well. I figured they'd go CDDL.
True but my guess is thats why the fuss is not bigger

[weatherman]

Indeed. What a waste of effort the gcj guys must have put in though, now...
not true at all. There are already a number of contributions by the gcj guys that they're planning to include in java.

[johnb820]

Hooray for Java!

[gnomeuser]

The facts:

GCJ development will continue
Sun Java hasn't been released under the GPL, it is scheduled to be released under GPLv2 in March 2007.

Once that happens the two projects are likely to merge, there's a lot of well tested code in both which can benefit, no effort has been wasted - saying that is a bit like saying the GNU and Linux efforts were wasted if Apple or Microsoft announced a plan to release their stuff under the GPL in 6 months. They worked from the premise that we would never get code under a suitable license and they did a damn good work, the work that is mergable will be merged and all will be well.

Regardless this is good news, I was hoping for LGPL but the selection of the GPL is another fine choice.

[earobinson]

also more hype can be found here: http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=1753503#post1753503

[FeraTech]

ROFL, I just read the article and was about to post it here. Looks like some people are way ahead of the curve. Well although I was beaten to the punch I'm glad the GPL is being embraced by a company as big and influential as Sun.

[.t.]

It's good to see that it's not going to waste. However, it's different to with Linux and Windows, where the APIs are completely different that they are not implementing the same stuff. It's the same with ReactOS however.

[aouie]

The facts:

GCJ development will continue
Sun Java hasn't been released under the GPL, it is scheduled to be released under GPLv2 in March 2007.


Some of the source code is available on Sun's Java site (http://www.sun.com/software/opensource/java/) now. It is not clear to me exactly which portions are going GPL and which portions aren't. Maybe their FAQ (http://www.sun.com/software/opensource/java/faq.jsp) will make sense to you.
Sincerely,
Aouie