Sun Microsystems has made the Java source code available
to the open source community under the GNU General Public
Licence.
Sun has long hinted that it would open source its Java
programming language, but without setting out a definite
timescale.
In May, Sun put a collection of Java technologies, including its
Java Studio Creator and Java System Portal Server, into the open
source realm, and in August it launched a Java open source website
to effectively signal that moving Java to open source was
imminent.
Sun's move is regarded as one of the largest contributions to
the open source community. It will cover all the Java source code
except for small parts that are not owned by Sun.
Sun said it hoped that open sourcing Java would extend the use
of the language and in turn create a wider market for Sun
products.
www.java-source.net
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