Open Source JAVA : Step by step • Java Bien!

In this article, you can learn how to compile the Swing sources without doing a full compilation of the JDK. This way, you can fix Sun’s bugs yourself and even send the bug fix to the Bug Parade.

Interestingly enough, the original post comes from Bino George who is a member of the Swing Team. I think this is the kind of post that makes us closer to an Open Sourced Java. At least the way Sun sees it: Open but still controlled.

Talking about Open Sourcing Java, take a look at Jonathan Schwartz’s Blog. At the end of the article he says that there is much to come. Any ideas ?

I think that Sun should:

Make it possible for commercial products and Open Source project to distribute/use/install a JDK more easily. see here.
Make it easy to submit bug fixes and not only reports on the Bug Parade.
Release the JDK test suite so that anybody can test its own bug fix.
Open source some parts of the JDK like the Swing look and feels while still keeping the control on integration into the standard JDK

Its only my view. Some want full open source with forking opportunities and full control on Java life. Some would prefer no Open source but more staff at Sun to fix things quicker (Bugs, Look&Feel, …)