How free is the OpenJDK?

A good starting point for thinking about the consequences of the Oracle + IBM deal is in the blog of Gianugo Rabellino: ... I will readily admit there is a positive side in IBM ditching Harmony and joining OpenJDK, as the world is now closer to enjoy a strong Java platform. The problem is the price tag. With IBM surrendering to the Oracle bully, the Java Community Process is now as credible as Weekly World News, and basically nobody is safe. The spin pros have been busy focusing on a strengthened, renewed Java effort, and they conveniently (or should I say pragmatically?) forgot to mention how dangerous it is to be under the illusion that the JCP is a neutral and cooperative body producing Open Source friendly specs when the truth is Oracle can and do whatever they want, including breaching the JSPA and getting away with it. Or play puppet master even with mighty IBM. I wish all my FSF friends will soon recover from the initial excitement for a GPLed Java and realize how, really, the party is over and we have much less freedom than before. And maybe a better JVM with no competitors – but is it worth the price? My point. First, I'm sad that Harmony is probably going to die. Having one more independent implementation of Java, under a different license, was a plus for the community. In any case, things haven't changed with the Oracle management: the no-TCK policy for Harmony was started under Sun and, in...

Date: October, 13 2010
Url: http://www.java.net/blog/fabriziogiudici/archive/2010/10/13/how-free-openjdk

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