http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking/headline1/006869.htm
Whooppie
That ruling isn't good for Java. Why?
1) MS just has to pass the Sun compatibility tests. This means it has to run a certain set of Java programs. It doesn't mean MS has to remove their extensions from the language. The 2 are mutually exclusive.
2) MS may just remove all Java support from their products, at least for some period of time. What does this mean? People either won't be able to run Java one their Windows machines, or they will have to use an inferior VM from Sun or someone else. Does this help consumers?
I'm willing to bet MS already has a completely compatible VM and toolset, just waiting for this eventuality.
I can't see how this ruling was even possible, since Sun's licensing agreement specifically states:
SUN hereby grants to Licensee, and Licensee hereby accepts from SUN, a perpetual and irrevocable (without regard to any termination or expiration of this Agreement, except as provided in Section 11.2(b)), worldwide, non-exclusive, non-transferable license, under the Intellectual Property Rights of SUN to make, access, use, copy, view, display, modify, adapt, and create Derivative Works of the Technology in Source Code form for the purposes of developing, compiling to binary form and supporting Products ;
(bold and italics added by me) |
