Eric Richardson wrote:
> My impression is that Java is sort of half way in the open source
> community and half way out. The SCSL is just that way and Sun has some
> pretty big claws into Java. In Debian terms, even GPLed Java code is
> contrib as you can't find a clean room VM and class library(Open Source)
> at least for versions 1.2/1.3.

The original question wasn't predicated on the solution being open
source, I think as Linux users we sometimes blind ourselves into
thinking that that's the only way to develop software, and it clearly
isn't.

Though the source code of the Java SDKs are based on the SCSL, that
doesn't mean there's a licensing osmosis that occurs between the
language kit that you use and the code you write for that language. 
Also, last time I checked, you're only bound to the SCSL if you actually
download the source code for the SDK and are porting or modifying that
code in some way.  The JDK's license, otherwise, is pretty
straightforward.

Aside from that, if one is very adamant about the kit they're using
being open source, then they can use Kaffe (www.kaffe.org), which is a
clean room implementation (GPL).

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