Sun proposes GPL/CDDL dual license for NetBeans

Posted on August 17, 2007, 12:59.

Bruno Souza is the NetBeans Community Manager for Sun these days. And he had an interesting suggestion for a new license model for NetBeans 6.0: We are considering releasing a future early access version of NetBeans 6.0 under a dual licensing scheme of CDDL and GPL v2 with Classpath exception. Whoa!

From the NetBeans Why GPL v2 Frequently Asked Questions:

Why does Sun want to dual license NetBeans software under CDDL and GPLv2 with Classpath Exception?

  • The GPL v2 license will provide an additional option to vendors that are unable to work with NetBeans software under the CDDL license.
  • Adding GPLv2 as a license option will make NetBeans software even more Linux friendly.
  • Adding GPLv2 with Classpath exception to NetBeans software will keep product portfolios and bundles consistent. Sun open sourced its JDK implementation under GPLv2 and the GlassFish project is dual-licensed under CDDL and GPLv2 with Classpath exception.

Good move Sun! I hope the rest of the NetBeans community agrees. Personally I would love to see this happening. With this there probably isn’t a corner of the Java ecosystem that isn’t covered by the GPL. Sun is radically changing the industry here. Allowing anybody to share, mix and replay anything java under the GPL is major. It will be facinating to see what will all come from this.

2 Comments

  1. Mickey Mouse says:
    August 20, 2007 at 20:05

    Hmm… I suppose GPL3 was out of question, and will be for OpenSolaris too?

  2. Leonardo says:
    August 21, 2007 at 01:31

    Why not use LGPLv2.1 instead GPLv2 with Classpath exception.
    And why not version 3 ?

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