Sun Microsystems is currently planning to release the source code for the Java programming language. This information was announced by CEO Jonathan Schwartz of Sun at the JavaOne conference taking place in San Francisco, USA.
“The question here is no longer whether we will open the source of Java, but rather how we will do it,” Schwartz emphasized during the opening speech of the conference.
By providing the source code, Sun hopes to attract more developers to transition to using this type of open-source code. Previously, when Java was offered under proprietary software licensing, it clearly did not receive much attention.
Debates about opening the Java programming language have been ongoing for many years. In the past, Sun had consistently rejected all calls to release the Java source code due to concerns about fragmentation and sharing.
A group of developers could break away from the Java community and build a second independent group following a different direction. This could confuse programmers and lead to Java losing its prominence in the programming landscape.
For example, there are currently dozens of different versions of Linux, all originating from an initial base version. Each version is distinct, and software developers are forced to validate their applications to be compatible with each different version of Linux. This has led to Red Hat and SuSE evolving into commercial Linux standards.
Meanwhile, IBM believes that releasing the Java source code could attract more developers to this programming language, as Java will continue to be researched and developed by Sun.
Recently, continuing its trend of open-sourcing all its products, Sun has released a series of products under open-source licenses.
Hoàng Dũng
