I would like to get back into Java development, however the terms of the Oracle Binary Code License (BCL)<http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/terms/license/index.html>and this whole thing about becoming a "Licensee" has me a bit confused. With the way Oracle has worded the text about becoming a licensee<http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/overview/licensees-jsp-136136.html>and with all the talk about the "Commercial Features" in the BCL, I can't tell if I will be able to even say, "This program is written in Java" without paying Oracle a lot of money.
On the page about becoming a "Licensee,"<http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/overview/licensees-jsp-136136.html>when they say, "Only Java SE licensees can claim compatibility with Java SE specifications and can ship Java SE-branded products." are they talking about programs written in Java or are they really only talking about writing an alternative JVM or JDK? If the former, then I am so outta here. I have read in some places (I lost track of where) that the "commercial features" will be easy to spot in the documentation so one can avoid using them. According to this page<http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/terms/products/index.html>, > "Some of the packages described in Installation of Java SE Product > Editions install commercial features that are restricted to Oracle Java SE > Advanced or Oracle Java SE Suite. For example, the JRockit JDK comes with a > deterministic garbage collector that requires a Oracle Java SE Suite > license." How the heck am I supposed to make sure that a particular garbage collector does not end up being used when my program runs? I have heard about the OpenJDK <http://openjdk.java.net/> and have perused their web site. That just opened a few other cans of worms. Do I have to use the OpenJDK if I don't want to pay Oracle money to distribute my own program written in Java? ... Seriously, there are no OpenJDK installation binaries for Windows <http://openjdk.java.net/install/>? ... I am particularly interested in Java 1.7 and JavaFX. According to this page<http://openjdk.java.net/projects/openjfx/>, "Oracle's code will be donated in phases with the initial piece being the UI Controls classes. Further sub-systems are expected in the coming months." So, how can I know which "subsystems" will be available for me to use if I use OpenJFX instead of JavaFX, and what the heck is their exact definition of "subsystem" in this context? Am I going to have to constantly watch for "gotchas" and search endlessly for workarounds in OpenJFX for things that just work in Oracle's JavaFX distribution? ... And what if I write something in OpenJFX which someone subsequently tries to run on a computer with JavaFX installed? Will that just be a nightmare, or what? I just want to write some Java programs that will most likely be released as open-source (but some things I do, I may try to sell). How the heck do I navigate this morass of licensing issues without it becoming a secondary - non-paying and totally non-fun - career? -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Java Posse" group. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msg/javaposse/-/W80OX1raAR4J. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/javaposse?hl=en.
