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Tuesday May 16, 2006

JDK Distros Project

The eleventh JavaOne has started and there's big news. There's a new DLJ license for Java. With this change some of the Linux distros are going to automatically include Java SE 5 JDK, including Ubuntu, my favorite Linux distribution.

Yippee! One less thing I'll have to install afterwards.

[Technorati Tag: Java]

[Technorati Tag: Ubuntu]

( May 16 2006, 10:37:01 AM PDT ) [Listen] Permalink Comments [3]

Comments:

Ubuntu will include Java, but not as part of the default install (due to it still being under a non-free license). You'll need to enable the multiverse repository (disabled by default) and then install it. If it were under a more free license (the CDDL would probably fit the bill here), it'd be on the install CD and on your desktop. Sun's JRE isn't going to be a ubiquitous part of Linux until the licensing changes, I'm afraid.

Posted by Matthew Garrett on May 16, 2006 at 11:34 AM PDT #

I like paragraph 2(c):
> you do not combine, configure or distribute the Software to run in conjunction with any additional software that implements the same or similar functionality or APIs as the Software;
If I understand that correctly, Ubuntu and other distributions will have to drop all other Java implementations (Kaffe, Gcj, ...).
Even worse, according to section 2(e) "You only distribute the Software subject to this license agreement", ALL other software must be removed too.
And assuming that they found a bug and cannot solve it within 90 days, the JDK itself will have to be removed (See section 4).
Ubuntu will become the smallest linux distribution ever :-)

Posted by stef70 on May 16, 2006 at 11:49 AM PDT #

Hi Matthew. Thanks for the clarification. Bummer, but quite understandable.

Posted by Rich Burridge on May 16, 2006 at 12:26 PM PDT #