Re: Java Is FREE! (some real information)

[Mark Wielaard <mark at klomp dot org>]

Hi all,

On Mon, 2006-11-13 at 09:28 +0100, Mark Wielaard wrote:
> On Mon, 2006-11-13 at 15:54 +0900, fchoong@netbeans.jp wrote:
> > Java to be Freed tomorrow!! Way to go Sun!
> > 
> > http://www.theserverside.com/news/thread.tss?thread_id=43046
> > 
> > http://www.javalobby.org/java/forums/t84244.html
> 
> Yes. Thank you Sun! Some more links for your reading pleasure:
> http://blogs.zdnet.com/Burnette/?p=199
> http://blogs.zdnet.com/Burnette/?p=200
> 
> And guess what they mean with "following established free software
> community practices for licensing virtual machines and their associated
> libraries". Yes! They will use the GPL and the GPL+exception!

And there is some real information available now at:
http://www.sun.com/software/opensource/java/
Make sure you read the FAQ which is pretty nice:
http://www.sun.com/software/opensource/java/faq.jsp

You will notice some really nice things like:

        Q: 
        What is the Classpath exception?
        
        A: 
        The Classpath exception was developed by the Free Software
        Foundation's GNU/Classpath Project (see
        http://www.gnu.org/software/classpath/license.html). It allows
        you to link an application available under any license to a
        library that is part of software licensed under GPL v2, without
        that application being subject to the GPL's requirement to be
        itself offered to the public under the GPL.
        
        
        Q: 
        Why do you need the Classpath exception?
        
        A: 
        If an application is distributed with an implementation of Java
        such as the JDK under GPL v2, that application could be subject
        to the requirements of the GPL that all code that is shipped as
        part of a Ãwork based on the [GPL] programà also be GPL
        licensed. Accordingly, a GPL license exception is needed that
        specifically excludes from this licensing requirement any
        application that links to the GPL implementation. The Classpath
        exception accomplishes this. Without the Classpath exception, a
        Java SE implementation licensed under GPL v2 could not
        practically be distributed with non-GPL licensed Java
        applications. This could present a serious barrier to adoption,
        for example by OpenSolaris or GNU/Linux distributions if left
        unaddressed.
        
        Q: 
        Why did you choose this licensing method?
        
        A: 
        This is the licensing paradigm in common use within Free
        software communities such as GNU/Classpath and Kaffe for the
        components of a Java technology implementation including the
        virtual machine and class libraries. We consciously chose the
        same licensing method so that there would be no temptation to
        second guess Sun's intention to make its Java SE implementation
        available under a genuinely Free and open license.

And please do join some of us on irc.gnu.org in #classpath we might not
have answers yet for all the wonderful things the future might bring,
but we can at least have a little virtual party! :)

Cheers,

Mark

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