Sun keeps Java proprietary...

Jim Whitehead (ejw@ics.uci.edu)
Fri, 30 Apr 1999 16:39:47 -0700


In "Sun U-Turns on Open Java Plan",

http://www.wired.com/news/news/technology/story/19413.html

it is revealed that Sun has decided not to bring Java to ISO for
standardization.

According to the article,

Sun has quibbled with the ISO throughout the application process, arguing
that Sun should retain control of the technology, making changes as it sees
fit. Normally, the ISO refuses to grant such authority to a single company.

So, Sun would like an open standard where they retail change control. What
is so open about this? In the newly emerging tradition of open source, it
seems to mean that Sun wanted to gain the imprimatur of being "open" and
benefit from free thoughtful technical review, all without giving up
anything.

I wonder how long it will take the developer community to realize that Java
is Yet Another Proprietary Platform for Computing(TM).

- Jim