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What is Open Source

Open Source is a method of developing software where the license permits developers anywhere to work freely on the source code, and the development methodology encourages such cooperative development. The Open Source Initiative (http://www.opensource.org) provides a definition of an "Open Source License." Sun agrees with this definition and the methodologies it enables. In summary, the definition has the following provisions:

The license must not restrict the parties to whom the code may be licensed, the uses to which it is put, the software of which it may become part, nor the pricing of any software built using the licensed code.

The source for the licensed code must be made easily and inexpensively available, and modification to the source must be permitted at least to the degree that patches are permitted.

The license must not affect the licenses of other code that is distributed with the licensed software.

Given a license with these provisions, it is possible to create and nurture a community of developers centered around the source in such a way that it benefits all parties. In Sun's view, the license is only an enabler: Open Source is also about a community of developers, a shared vision for the software, a culture built from the combination of tools, software, and governance, and the human relationships required to make the work successful.Therefore, to Sun it makes no sense to simply slap an Open-Source- compliant license on a piece of software and call that an Open Source project. For us, an Open Source project implies a commitment to treat the code as a shared resource and outside developers as equals; to adopt design and implementation methodologies that makes no distinctions between inside and outside developers; and to provision the project with enough resources that it be successful.

Sun also continues to believe that the appropriate license should be used for each business and customer situation. We still believe that Community Source is appropriate when intellectual property sharing and compatibility are important, that Standards Source is appropriate when there is an established standard for the software, and that proprietary licenses make sense for high value situations.

As with any learning situation, Sun expects to experience a transition period as old methodologies and attitudes are replaced by new ones. We hope you will not only stick with us during this period but help us out as well.

To Sun, a commitment to Open Source is a large commitment indeed.