ESR's Open Letter to McNealy: Set Java Free!

yukster writes "Eric Raymond has posted an open letter to Sun Microsystem's Scott McNealy asking him to 'Let Java go.' He says Sun can 'have ubiquity or [it] can have control.' The excellent improvements made to Java in the upcoming 1.5 release help re-level the playing field with C#. But, it seems like if Sun really wants Java to rule the world, they should heed ESR's advice. Hey Mr. McNealy, listen to this guy... set Java free!"

Comeon!

[jeffkjo1]

Comeon McNealy! Follow Microsofts lead, set java free!

Re:ESR = lunatic.

[azzy]

I thought this was a bit of a nasty post when I first read it. But then upon re-reading I note you didn't add that he should pull the trigger.. so not as nasty as it could have been, I'm a little relieved.

Good old Eric...

[Dawn Keyhotie]

He always has a point. Yes, it is definitely time for Java to grow up, go out into the world, and make it on its own.

Eric makes good analogies between Java and NFS, and Java and Jini.

SO there. Nothing insightful, just a quick "Me, too!".

Cheers!

Re:why?

[sh0gun]

Umm, everyone in the world reads Slashdot so he will obviously see it.

Re:SUN wont release

[Anonymous Coward]

"Money talks..."

precisely what I was saying the other day when I was talking to a dollar bill...

Poor MS...

[Anonymous Coward]

Sun was able to kick Microsoft completely out of the Java business. ...and MS was able to remove Java support from its default installation and blame Sun for forcing it out!

Yeah, that was really good for Java, and really helped it to compete against C#.

Re:If Sun is on the ropes...

[aled]

but then ESR don't have a company and gives away his assets. All the market should hear his economical advise :-)

Free Leonard Peltier!

[The Lynxpro]

Oops. Wait. Wrong freedom fest... :)

Re:why?

[Anonymous Coward]

True that everybody reads slashdot, but as everybody else here I do not bother to RTFA ...

McNealy

Re:why?

[aled]

Everyone we know in the world read Slashdot.

Ok. Who has the t-shirts?

[Anonymous Coward]

Set Java Free!

End indentured servitude!

And it works on so many levels. Those Starbucks-sippin' twenty-somethings who think Apple==freedom will think you are a cool and hip political activist taking a stand on living wages for South American coffee harvesters!

Score!

Re:What's up with him?

[__past__]

Well, he is a gun nut...

Re:Comeon!

[FuzzyBad-Mofo]

People of Earth. I am Lrrr of the planet Omicron Persei 8. We want the one you call "McNealy." Give us Open Java or we will lay waste to your servers with our mighty Slashdot effect. We demand McNealy!

Re:why?

[ciaran_o_riordan]

but that's the point. ESR doesn't care if Sun ever see his silly letter - he knows they won't pay him any attention, especially after his last letter about how they are a dead company - but he has to make sure that slashdot sees it so if Sun ever liberate the Java source, he can credit himself for their actions.

ESR...wrong target, dude!

[Eberlin]

The first open letter to get free Java should be to Starbucks. While you're at it, ask if they can implement some instances of FrenchVanilla.

As a concession, we'll have them keep their tip.jar files.

To be more on-topic (uh huh huh, I said moron) -- would SUN be the second big company (besides IBM) of the non-distro bunches to do some OSS-embracing? Forget AOL which got money from the Netscape settlement then proceeded to pseudo-kick Mozilla off. At least SUN still actively supports OO.org. I guess we're asking them to take the big plunge instead of just testing the waters.

SUN's having a big identity crisis and could use a good shrink. Would be interesting to see where they go from here.

Reminds you of Exodus 5, doesn't it?

[blockhouse]

And after these things, Eric Raymond went in and spaketh to McNealy: "Thus saith Eric Raymond of the open source movement. Let Java go that my people may develop on it in the desert." But McNealy answereth, saying: "Who is Eric Raymond, that I should hear his voice and let Java go? I know not Raymond, neither will I let Java go." And McNealy said, "Seeth thou how the developers of Java are numerous, and how their multitude is increased. How much more if it be set free?" And McNealy's heart was hardened, and he did not hearken to them, as Eric Raymond commanded.

Re:Not gonna happen

[ciaran_o_riordan]

> If you want a free, open language, try using c++

Ok, let's all calm down now. We can all have our opinions but there was no reason to mention c++.

.

Maybe they should hunt down both C# and Java

[tjstork]

and kill them both.

Hey, somebody has to plug C++! :-)

Oh the things that man does...

[Anonymous Coward]

"Mr. CEO, tear down that wall"
ESR you are now offcially a yutz

ESR's next letter...

[DavidinAla]

Memo to the banks:

Set the money free. We want to be given what isn't ours. ;-)

Got me thinking...

[gt25500]

Maybe I can ask Microsoft to open up the Windows source...

Silly me! Nevermind ;D

Re:Getting there.

[maelstrom]

void *ptr = NSA_GET_PTR (env, obj);

WHOAH NSA OMFG!!!!!

good plan

[n3k5]

Change the license terms and withdraw all support for older versions, thus forcing everyone to upgrade and pay the bucks?

1. Blackmail and piss off the whole world, even though open source implementations of your technology are getting better by the day.
2. ?????
3. Profit!

Open letter to ESR

[NineNine]

Eric, your car is in bad shape. It really is. All you have to do is let me have it, and I'll fix it for you! Of course, it'll be "our" car, but hey, it'll be fixed. I'm gonna need it... let's see.... every day. Do you mind?

Re:If Sun is on the ropes...

[TheAncientHacker]

Gee, what a wonderful idea. Fire all the techies so that the marketing and management staff can keep getting bonuses. Wow. Open Source at its finest logical conclusion.

Re:Don't do it!

[FyRE666]

I like the fact that there is only one "branch" of java. I can write a program once and compile it anywhere.

You've obviously never written anything for mobile devices then ;-) Try J2ME some time, and you'll see an entire forest of branches (at least, you'll have to take them if you wish to develop anything useful/competitive).

Re:If you really want Java to be free

[claes]

I don't think it has been a failure. Quite the opposite. I think it is well on its way to do that, but it will take time, of course.