Sun has announced today that the Java programming language and runtime environment will be open sourced under the GPL license, the license also used by Linux, MySQL and roughly 70% of all open source projects tracked at Freshmeat.net.
While Sun's Jonathan Schwartz had previously criticized the GPL license, there's clearly a change of heart here, due to the huge popularity of Linux. By following the GPL license, Java can now be more readily distributed with Linux. Sun will follow a dual license policy, much like MySQL, enabling Java to be licensed under either GPL 2 or Sun's own commercial license which provides legal indemnification.
Kudos to Jonathan and the team at Sun on making good on its promise to open source Java. (This news originally broke in a story by Barb Darrow at CRN.)
Update: I have updated this story to include the Sun press release, some blogs from Sun that are mostly fluff and additional news links.
- Sun: Open Source Java Press Kit, announcement, open letter
- Sun Blogs: Schwartz, Gosling, Phipps
- CRN: Sun Set to Move on GPL License for Java
- CRN: More on Sun's GPL Plans
- ZDNet: Sun Picks GPL License for Java
- ZDNet: The Ripple Effect of GPL'd Java
- Inquirer: Sun Releases Java Under GPL
- CNet: Sun Criticizes Popular Open Source License
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