As this CNet News.com article shows, one has to wonder if an open source implementation of a Java virtual machine (commonly called a "Java Runtime Environment" or "JRE") is really needed. There is no doubt that interest exists, though, and perhaps enough interest to develop one. The Apache Foundation thinks so.
Sun resists calls for open-sourcing the code to Java. Their interest in keeping control is to ensure adherance to the standards and so guarantee the interoperability that is at the heart of Java's attractiveness to developers. Whether you view that as right or wrong, it is a noble and compelling goal. Sun is initially welcoming the development of an open-source implementation, though I'm sure it gives them the willies over future interoperability problems. However; to call it "Java", it has to comply to the standards Sun has set and that one requirement may well stop most problems before they appear in public.
No matter what, this is one to watch. And I'm surprised to find this very controversy makes Java more attractive to developers, not less. This is because all this debate reveals just how deeply folks are committed to Java, it's welfare and it's continued growth. No one I have spoken to is convinced this debate is a bad thing.
Jack
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