December 9, 1998 Web posted at: 10:30 AM EST by Chris Nerney

From...

NEW YORK (IDG) -- Responding to long-standing complaints from licensees, Sun today announced a dramatic loosening of its grip on the Java source code in a bid to hasten development of commercial products based on the programming language.

Kicking off the second Java Business Expo, Sun Chief Operating Officer Ed Zander this morning announced that:

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• Commercial entities now can use and modify Java source code for software product development without charge
• Other companies and developers can innovate on the source code without being required to return the innovation to Sun
• Commercial entities can modify and share compatible source code with other commercial entities without charge
• Licensees can package for resale Sun's Java platform class libraries with virtual machines from other licensees

Licensees have criticized Sun for maintaining excessive control of Java source code, hindering third-party development and slowing the introduction of Java-based products. Until now all licensees essentially paid was an up-front royalty to Sun for use of the source code.

During his opening keynote speech, Zander told licensees and third-party developers, "We don't make money on Java unless you make money on Java."