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Zeichick's Take: Open Source Java: Not a Community


By Alan Zeichick
November 15, 2006 — 
I'm delighted that Sun has decided to begin releasing Java as open source software. These days, with the notable exception of Windows and .NET, the primary platforms for technology are open. The Ethernet standards. TCP/IP. Linux and Solaris. The Apache Web server. HTML. XML. Web services. The AJAX specifications. Even tooling, as in Eclipse and NetBeans, is now open source.

But it's not fair to say that Sun has decided to release Java to the open source community. Despite its plans to release the source code for Java ME this week and Java SE next year using the GNU GPL v2 license, the software will remain Sun's property. Additions to the Java specifications remain under the control of the Java Community Process, which is Sun's property.

There's not necessarily bad. But it's not "community development." Then again, what is? All open source projects are under someone's control, whether it's a company (Sun with Solaris and NetBeans), a consortium (Eclipse under the Eclipse Foundation) or an individual (Linux under Linus Torvalds).

As I understand what's happening with Java, the source code will indeed be available under the GPL v2. That's a tremendous shift, and it will push the adoption of Java. Because companies and individuals may not have to sign license agreements to use or reuse the Java SE and Java ME code, the Java code will find itself in many applications where it simply might not have appeared. Also, companies like IBM, BEA, Oracle and SAP may find themselves more comfortable extending their use of Java even further into their software stack.

However, while Sun is encouraging outside developers to participate in new forums on java.net (which is Sun's property), including one for an open JDK and another for embedded projects, it's very unclear how much impact these projects will have, if any, on future development of Java itself. While I'm sure that Sun wants to see the code for bug fixes, refactorings and other enhancements contributed by the community, how about new features? No, it seems that this remains under the control of the JCP.

Sun will continue to drive Java's features, deciding what's added and what's deleted from the platform. Sun is driving. The "open source community" is going along for the ride. The big difference, now, is that the source code for the JDK is going to be available under the GPL.

Make no mistake: This a huge step forward for Java users. But will open source Java cause Microsoft's .NET team to lose sleep? Will companies like IBM, who have historically chafed under Sun's Java power, be mollified? I believe the answer to both those questions is "no."

Alan Zeichick is editorial director of SD Times. Read his blog at ztrek.blogspot.com.


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