Sun Lowers Barriers to Open-Source Java 144
Shyane writes "Sun Microsystems is making it easier for open-source programmers to ensure their Java versions meet the company's compatibility requirements, but the deal extends only to those involved in Sun's own open-source Java project. The program grants access to its Java Technology Compatibility Kit to anyone with an open-source Java project that is based substantially on Sun's open-source Java software and governed by the GPL. Programmers need access to the test kit to prove that a project is in compliance with the Java specification. Projects that pass Sun's compatibility kit tests also can use the official Java logos for free."
Re:don't need this (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Openness! (Score:1, Interesting)
I hope that this may help you.
Just starting out with Java (Score:4, Interesting)
I came into this business from a bit of a back door (although I suspect it to be a common back door these days). I started with spaghetti code PHP, moved to OOP php with php4, then php5. I am now quite frustrated by the partial OOP implementation of php5, as I develop more complex applications. I become even more frustrated with PHP the more I learn about java. The type safety at compile time makes it far easier to develop bug-free code. Method overloading is problematic in php, I usually end up implementing a single function with all sorts of optional arguments, and checks to determine whether a particular parameter is an array.
Additionally, Java gives me code re-use at it's ultimate. For instance, I write a single been that updates our LDAP; I then use that bean in a JSF web application, in a batch program running on an an IBM iSeries, in a command line application on Linux, and most recently in a Swing application. Having written the bean once when developing the first application, I never had to write a single LDAP query when developing my latter applications. Any bugs I find in the bean from one of the apps means the bug gets fixed for all the other apps.
Not to mention that I do my development on my Mac, and deploy software across our organization to Windows and Linux desktops.
Write once run anywhere for sure - I'm sold!
Re:Finaly a good native compiler. (Score:3, Interesting)
But I'm glad this happened. It caused Microsoft to go off and create rival platform (.NET) and a rival language (C#). Maybe not so great for Sun, but great for the developer community, because it created good solid competition and both platforms are advancing at a rapid pace because of this.
Re:Openness! (Score:2, Interesting)