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by Weiqi Gao.
Original Post: Sun Wavering On Open Sourcing JavaFX?
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Somebody internal to Sun is attempting to make JavaFX not fully Open Source.
That's the only conclusion that I can draw from the conversations went on in the open source openjfx-compiler project mailing list recently.
Here's just a sampling of the goings-on today:
Shannon Hickey <Shannon.Hickey@Sun.COM>:
The javafx.ui runtime in the open source workspace is no longer being
maintained. It is being replaced with a new, but similar, runtime
library called javafx.gui. It was javafx.gui that most of the demos and
talks at JavaOne targeted. At this point javafx.gui has not been made
open source.
Dean Iverson <dean@pleasingsoftware.com>
:
But I guess that leads us naturally to the question of why it isn't
open? Or at least why isn't the source available for examination and
use? Is some of the code encumbered by license or IP restrictions?
Given the SDK preview in the June/July timeframe, I would think it has
to be far enough along at this point (I hope!) that it can stand a
little scrutiny.
All I can say is, lobby for it. Shannon, Chris, me, pretty much every
engineer I know inside Sun is saying the same thing. Lets just open it
up!
Richard
Couple the above with the following exchange 12 days ago, I can sense that something is going on internally at Sun that's not in keeping with the Open Source facade.
Tom Ball <Tom.Ball@Sun.COM>:
Subject: WTF: "The JavaFX compiler, runtime engine, player, and tools currently under
Our senior execs and all of engineering are united in wanting to provide
a free and open source solution, but it takes a lot longer to correct organizational ignorance than it does simple clerical errors. Fixing
this issue is this week's project for me (now that JavaOne is behind
us), but it probably won't be resolved quickly.
Tom
Weiqi Gao wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I know everyone is on vacation after JavaOne 2008. But this one
> requires quick action before further damage is done.
>
> In
> http://www.psynixis.com/blog/2008/05/09/javafx-to-be-closed-source-non-free/
>
> JavaFX To Be Closed Source, Non-Free?
> Simon Brocklehurst wrote:
>
> > Overall, then, JavaFX sounds like a great technology. In fact, it was
> > all looking interesting enough for me to take a serious look at
> > starting to use JavaFX, to begin to evaluate it as a technology for
> > our future real-world use. I headed over to Sun’s JavaFX web-site and
> > thence to the JavaFX FAQs. I have to confess - I was more than a
> > little surprised by what I read. Here’s one of the questions, and the
> > answer:
> >
> > > Is JavaFX technology open source?
> > >
> > > JavaFX technology is very early in its development. The JavaFX
> > > Script language, currently being developed with the community’s help
> > > (see OpenJFX project), will have a grammar and syntax that are open
> > > source. Some parts of the language are already open source. The
> > > JavaFX compiler, runtime engine, player, and tools currently under
> > > development are not expected to be open source. You can participate
> > > in the OpenJFX Compiler Project, which focuses on creating a JavaFX
> > > compiler to translate JavaFX scripts into JVM class files
> > > (bytecode). This compiler will leverage and extend the JDK’s javac
> > > compiler capabilities.
But the non-transparency of what Sun is actually doing is still disconcerting.
Consider this blog as my answer to Richard Biar's call for "lobby for it"—where "it" means more transparent communications about the goings-ons inside the JavaFX projects.
And remember: It's not Open Source till it's Open Source!
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