The IBM & Oracle Attitude To GPL Java Is Idiotic
When Sun announced its plans to Open Source the Java platform under the GPL, there was just one vocal critic, set against a sea of positive reaction. That critic was IBM. And, now I read (via Simon Phipps) that Oracle is complaining too.
I have to say, I find the IBM and Oracle attitudes both tiresome and idiotic (read, make me much less likely to do business with them). Why? Because these attitudes don’t move us forward in any way; and also because it makes them appear like petulant children who haven’t got their own way.
Allow me to explain to IBM and Oracle the solution to their problems: if you don’t like the fact that your work is incompatible with the GPL, re-license your work under the GPL.
There, that wasn’t hard was it? Now, please stop whining…
Fernando Lozano wrote:
It’s worth noticing that the GPLed Java can be bundled and distributed as part of IBM Websphere, Oracle iAS and any other proprierary products from those and other companies. That’s the meaning of the “exception” clause Sun borrowed from the GNU Classpath project.
It’s silly that Oracle claims the “Java community” is Apache and Eclipse. He simply ignores the fact there’s a big open source Javadevelopers community outside as many projects around GNU classpath like GCJ and Kaffe.
Those are the groups with more knowledge and actual code to contribute with Sun Java, and they have features Sun Java don’t have yet, such as support for more processor architectures and better Linux integration. It makes sense for Sun to choose a license that allows sharing and mixing with those projects, instead of the Apache License that doesn’t allow.
Posted 04 Dec 2006 at 1:10 pm ¶