Sun Goes Testing

By Nathan Statz

August 10th, 2007: Sun has released new licenses for the Java Compatibility Kit (JCK).

When Sun Microsystems announced it would be making the Java platform open source last year critics and doomsayers were numerous. Fast forward to today and Sun is continuing to deliver on its open source promises with new licensing for the Java compatibility test.

"This announcement is another milestone in the release of Java technology as open source software” said Rich Green, executive vice president, software at Sun. The JCK will be released under the GNU general public license version 2, and follows up on Sun’s release of the Java Development Kit (JDK) in May when it delivered on its open source promises.

The JCK determines whether or not an implementation complies with the Java Platform Standard Edition 6. This is of particular use to software developers in the Open JDK community where developers gather to collaborate on the open-source JDK code base. The licensing will see the “promise of open source Java technology fulfilled through accelerated innovation and broader distribution, which will benefit the entire IT industry" Green said.

Not only does the release expand the possibilities for developers, but it also enhances Sun’s reputation and community following.

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