Encumbrance of the class libraries?

Well it’s official. Sun is releasing Java under the GPL + Exception, just like Classpath is licenced!

The initial release includes the HotSpot VM, their Java compiler, and a few other tidbits. And get this: even the image of Duke, the Java mascot, has been released under an Open Source licence! These people really get it!

The reference implementation of the libraries aren’t out yet, though, so naturally what everyone wants to know is what the encumbrance situation is with the various classes in that library. Based on comments from various Sun people in #open-source-java on OFTC (and they’ve promised a full list shortly), it would seem the only major problems are in the areas of colour, font rasterization and graphics rasterization.

These were characterized as fairly major issues; it was funny to see the Classpath community respond with a unanimous “not for long they won’t be!”

Java Libre!

AfC