Java Open Sourcing Details

Sun is slowly releasing its implementations of the Java platform. The components of the Java SE implementation that Sun is releasing initially are the Java programming-language compiler (javac) and the Java HotSpot virtual machine. In 2007, Sun will release all unencumbered source-code modules of JDK 6 and JDK 7, along with full build scripts; a few encumbered modules will be released as binary plugins. The most important thing is the license which is discussed in details below.

Java ME
The Java ME platform components for release in the Mobile & Embedded community include the Java ME implementations, as well as compatibility and quality-testing tool frameworks. The initial release features a buildable phone implementation targeting mass-market handsets and the Java ME Technology Compatibility Kit (TCK) framework, the foundation to build Java ME compatibility tests.

Licensing
The code will be available under the GPL v2 license plus the ClassPath Exception. The classpath exception is as follows:

Linking this library statically or dynamically with other modules is making a combined work based on this library. Thus, the terms and conditions of the GNU General Public License cover the whole combination.

As a special exception, the copyright holders of this library give you permission to link this library with independent modules to produce an executable, regardless of the license terms of these independent modules, and to copy and distribute the resulting executable under terms of your choice, provided that you also meet, for each linked independent module, the terms and conditions of the license of that module. An independent module is a module which is not derived from or based on this library. If you modify this library, you may extend this exception to your version of the library, but you are not obligated to do so. If you do not wish to do so, delete this exception statement from your version.

Source

As such, Java can be used to run, create and distribute a large class of applications and applets without being encumbered by the traditional problems of using GPL’ed code for commercial applications. When Java libraries released under GPL are used unmodified as the core class library for a virtual machine, compiler for the java language, or for a program written in the java programming language it does not affect the licensing for distributing those programs directly.

Obligatory disclaimer:
I am not a lawyer (but my niece is).

Fate of JCP
The role of the Java Community Process (JCP) will not change according to Sun. It will continue to govern specifications, from Java Specification Request (JSR) submissions to public reviews to final approvals. Link

Overall I don’t care much whether Java is open-sourced or not. It was already open enough for my needs since inception (1995). The good part is that Sun hasn’t fully succumbed to Stallman’s fanaticism and has kindly protected commercial software developers with Classpath exception to GPL (see above).