Sun has announced that JSE5 is now available for redistribution by Linux and OpenSolaris operating system distributors under the new Operating System Distributor's License for Java. This means that Linux users will now be able to use distributor-packaged Java environments. A project at java.net (http://jdk-distros.dev.java.net) will serve as a clearinghouse of information and best practices for delivering compatibly packaged JDK bundles. Blackdown (http://www.blackdown.org) has agreed to join the project and contribute their Debian (http://www.debian.org) packaging code to the initiative. This has been a long time coming. What do you think?

What do you think?

Finally... :P

It is interesting how Sun requires that the JDK operates like the JDK on a particular distribution, yet provides no real mechanism for a distribution to test it. Well, that's unfair. They DO provide a mechanism -- you can license the TCK, but in theory the entire point of the new license is so folks basically don't have to be TCK licensees. For practical purposez, this works out as most folks don't beat on the kernel enough to (ideally) break the JDK, but the distro's in fact have to take this on blind faith, that they haven't broken something, as there is no easy way for them to test it. So, it's an interesting stop gap. It's also interesting that you can not distribute the JDK with, say, SWT pre-installed in to it.

Given that the DLJ FAQ points to the "Read Only (But Don't You Compile Or Run It, You Evil Potential Compatibility Pirate, You)" JCK, I assume distributions are supposed to read, only, the JCK, every now and then, and then mentally work through potential compatibility issues. :) Sun values compatibility so much, that it undertakes such steps protect distributors from finding out about it for their own good, I guess. :) cheers, dalibor topic

Finally indeed. About time Sun resolved this. On https://jdk-distros.dev.java.net/debian.html you can see the first two distros supporting this: Debian UNSTABLE and a BETA of Ubuntu. Great of course, except that most people run Debian STABLE on their servers/workstations. What's up with these people ... Debian releases come about once every 20 years, so really .. what is the point of adding this to UNSTABLE? Dohhh. S.

what is the point of adding this to UNSTABLE? Dohhh.

I'm not familiar with Debian's policies, bt since the new package is brand new, and not tested yet by the community, it makes sense to me for them to put it in UNSTABLE.

Great of course, except that most people run Debian STABLE on their servers/workstations. Maybe on the servers, but Debian Stable is so antiquated compared to most released, non-beta distros that most people probably aren't running stable on their workstations.

For me this is even bigger news than Sun promising to open source Java (which surprisingly TSS hasn't covered yet). Linux + Java is a great combination that was neglected for way too long by Sun. Kudos to Sun for acknowledging there was a problem with their binary license and for trying to fix it.