Sun completes move to open Java source

 

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By Simon Aughton

Posted on 9 May 2007 at 10:10

Almost all the source code for Sun Microsystems' core Java technology is now available under the open source GPLv2 licence, the company announced at its JavaOne conference yesterday. This nearly completes a process that began a year ago.

However parts of the code relating chiefly to 2d graphics effects such as font and graphics rasterizing have not been released, as Sun does not hold sufficient rights to the technology. Rich Sands, community marketing manager for OpenJDK community, said that while open source alternatives are available they do not have all the features currently provided by the Java 2D API.

For the time being, Sun will provide Java 2D via plug-ins, but it hopes that the open source community will work with it to rewrite the restricted components, replacing them with new code that can be released under GPLv2.

Richard Stallman, founder of the Free Software Foundation that administers GPL, said that a joint effort is essential to 'liberate' Java.

'The free software community and Sun must work together to replace that code with free software,' he said.

Java is the first software that Sun has released under GPL; previously it had distributed code under its own Common Development and Distribution License (CDDL), which the FSF said was incompatible with the more widely used GPL.

But Sun would not say whether other of its CDDL open source projects, such as the Solaris operating system, would be made available under GPL.

JavaOne also saw a preview of JavaFX, Sun's new scripting language that some believe could provide a more powerful alternative to the Javascript-based AJAX for developing and delivering Web content and applications.

JavaFX is based on Sun's Java runtime engine and Sun believes it will enable developers to run single applications across all platforms and devices.

'With JavaFX, Sun is leveraging the security and pervasiveness of the world's most widely deployed technology platform to allow creative professionals to easily author and deliver on any device,' said Rich Green, executive vice president, Sun Software. 'This is a major step towards helping consumers access the best content on the Internet from every device and a significant opportunity for Sun and its partners to deliver a whole new line of products.'

Unlike AJAX, JavaFX is being designed so that developers never need see or write as much as a line of code.