Tom Marble's Weblog

Where is Tom?

Now breaking a long hiatus in blogging is my announcement that I will be leaving Sun. I have a new opportunity which will challenge me to grow in new directions and I intend to seize the chance.

I have really enjoyed working with everyone on our new OpenJDK Community. OpenJDK is a huge project and we've made great progress since announcing the plan to open source Java. Of course there is more to do, but that's completely understandable when one changes the engines on a 6 million line-of-code airplane -- in flight.

Comments:

Thank you very much for all you've done to make Java libre, you've been one of the key persons to put the puzzle pieces into place, patient, diplomatic & engaged in every aspect.

I'm looking forward to seeing you at FOSDEM!

Posted by Dalibor Topic on January 17, 2008 at 04:00 PM CST #

Hey Tom, thanks for everything! Have a great whatever-you'll-do, I'm sure you'll be very successful, being such a special guy! Keep in touch!

Posted by Bruno Souza on January 17, 2008 at 04:50 PM CST #

Thanks for everything you've done for OpenJDK, Tom! I trust that whatever comes next will be at least as rewarding.

Posted by Mark Reinhold on January 17, 2008 at 05:53 PM CST #

Very sorry to have you leaving Sun, Tom, but warmest wishes for your future - I've loved working with you and you've made a real difference both to Sun and to the Free software world.

Posted by Simon Phipps on January 17, 2008 at 06:10 PM CST #

:(
Best wishes, and I can't wait to meet you at FOSDEM.
Thanks for being our primary outlet into the OpenJDK world and pushing forward with everything asked of you. Most of all, thank you for all your advice along the way.

Posted by Lillian on January 17, 2008 at 11:00 PM CST #

I can't express how much I'll miss working with you Tom. You've been a welcome inspiration to me and a strong passionate voice for software livre at Sun. I also commend you on your incredible patience and positive outlook on the efforts both inside and outside Sun to make open source Java SE a reality. I wish you all the best in your new adventure and I'm really happy to hear you'll be around in the Free world. I expect to continue to be challenged by you! :-)

Posted by Ray Gans on January 17, 2008 at 11:54 PM CST #

hey, Tom. Best of luck out there! :) Keep in touch.

Posted by Jim Grisanzio on January 18, 2008 at 01:53 AM CST #

Merci Tom pour tout et bravo pour ce nouveau challenge!

Posted by Alexis MP on January 18, 2008 at 02:02 AM CST #

Hi Tom, Thanks for everything you did for Java Libre, OpenJDK, listening and understanding our problems and priorities in Free Software world and particularly in Debian. I can't wait we'll meet one more at the FOSDEM.

Posted by Arnaud Vandyck on January 18, 2008 at 04:12 AM CST #

Good luck, Tom...it must be a SUPER opportunity to leave such a cool job behind! Thanks for all your work on OpenJDK.

Posted by David Gilbert on January 18, 2008 at 04:26 AM CST #

Oh... And now who I will bug on #openjdk? :)

Thank you for everything you did, and good luck and best wishes for your new job!

Posted by neugens on January 18, 2008 at 05:26 AM CST #

I have to say this comes as quite a shock, but clearly you feel this is the right decision to have made and I wish you all the best in your new position, whatever that may be. Thanks for all your work on the OpenJDK and with the GNU Classpath community. Please keep in touch with us all and let us know how things go. You've been a patient and resilient light in a new Free Java world and for that we can not thank you enough.

Posted by Andrew John Hughes on January 18, 2008 at 06:31 AM CST #

Tom,

Rarely have I worked with someone with your passion, intellect, and political skills. More than anyone I think you have helped to knit together developers from very different backgrounds and experiences into a real community, through your tireless diplomacy and gift for listening and understanding. What you accomplished as a part of the OpenJDK team has been extraordinary, and I will miss working with you very much. But this is a small industry, and I am very sure our paths will cross again, many times over. Best of luck in your new opportunity and please keep in touch.

Posted by Rich Sands on January 18, 2008 at 07:55 AM CST #

Hi Tom

It has been a pleasure working with you. Thanks for all your help in delivering GlassFish in Ubuntu. We would have been lost without your technical, legal and diplomatic expertise.

All the best for your future endeavours!
Thanks
Harpreet

Posted by Harpreet Singh on January 18, 2008 at 01:38 PM CST #

Whoa! I am happy to see you say it is a "Tot ziens!". We will definitely drink a beer in Brussels at Fosdem! Take care and see you soon. Good luck and leave some of your enthusiastic spirit around at Sun before you leave!

Posted by Mark Wielaard on January 19, 2008 at 03:06 PM CST #

Sun is losing a great open source advocate with your departure, Tom. It's been a pleasure working with you over the years on OpenSolaris & OpenJDK topics.

I'll be at FOSDEM, so we can drink a beer then :)

Posted by stevel on January 24, 2008 at 12:00 AM CST #