1

Why are you changing theOpenJDKWeb Site Terms of Use?

To allow work on specifications for Java SE JSRs totake place in the OpenJDK Community, right alongside the work ontheir reference implementations, in a way that satisfies thetransparency requirements ofversion 2.8 of the Java Community Process (JSR 348).

2

Why isn't the existing Terms-of-Use documentadequate?

The existing document was designed to covercontributions of code rather than specification material, and thelatter must be governed by a different kind of license.

3

Does this change make the JCP subservient toOpenJDK?

No, not at all! The JCP remains the governing bodyfor the Java programming language, the Java virtual machine, andall Java SE APIs. This change merely allows work on Java SE JSRs tobe done directly in the OpenJDK Community, in the most convenientand transparent way possible.

4

How does JSR 348 change the way that JSRs aremanaged?

Theprincipal changes are that JSR Expert Groups must hold theirdiscussions on a public mailing list, they must use a publicissue-tracking mechanism to record and track their progress, andthey must publish their working documents for all to see.

5

Must all JSRs related to Java SE now be hosted inthe OpenJDK Community?

No, but going forward all active Oracle-led Java SEJSRs with open-source reference implementations will be hostedhere.

6

Which Java SE JSRs does Oracle currently lead?

The active JSRs related to Java SE currently led byOracle are:

• JSR 335: LambdaExpressions
• JSR 337: Java SE8

7

So the mailing lists, web content, and issuetrackers for the Expert Groups of those JSRs will be moved toOpenJDK?

Yes, as soon as practical.

8

The Lambda JSR has been active for quite a while.Will the past e-mail traffic of its Expert Group be publishedhere?

The JSR 335 Spec Lead, Brian Goetz, will do that ifthe EG members agree to it.

9

I'm a spec lead for a JSR related to Java SE but Idon't work for Oracle. May I host my JSR in the OpenJDKCommunity?

Absolutely! The best way to initiate that is topropose anOpenJDK Project for your JSR's prototype and eventual referenceimplementation. Detailed guidance on how to host JSR work relatedto an OpenJDK Project will be available soon.

10

Will members of Expert Groups of JSRs hosted in theOpenJDK Community be required to sign theOracleContributor Agreement (OCA)?

No, but if they want to make material contributionsto a JSR then they will need to do so.

11

How can I tell if I, or someone else, has signed theOCA?

A list of OCA signatories is availablehere.

12

I previously signed the old Sun ContributorAgreement (SCA). Do I need to sign the OCA too?

No, all SCA signatories are now considered OCAsignatories.

13

I'm not an EG member but I want to make materialcontributions to a JSR specification. Do I also need to sign theOCA?

Yes.

14

I'm not an EG member, I want to make materialcontributions to a JSR specification, and I've signed the OCA. Do Ialso need to sign the JCP'sJavaSpecification Participation Agreement (JSPA)?

No, but if you want to become amember of the JCPthen you'll have to sign the JSPA.

15

Will specifications for Java SE JSRs now be licensedunder the GPL?

No, they will continue to be licensed under termssimilar tothose used for Java SE 7.

16

Will I still have to agree to that annoyingclick-through license every time I want to view a draft JSRspecification?

No! There will be no click-through agreements forJSR materials hosted in the OpenJDK Community.

17

What terms will govern the e-mail discussions of JSRExpert Groups?

The content on JSR EG mailing lists, which will nowbe public, will be licensed for comment and evaluation purposesonly.

18

What does it mean to license materials for "commentand evaluation purposes only"?

You may download and evaluate such materials, youmay post comments on the materials back to locations that have thesame terms (e.g., JSR EG mailing lists, web pages, issuetrackers, and Mercurial repositories), and you may post modifiedversions of the materials to those locations. You may not use thematerials in any other way.

19

So this means that content on the EG mailing listfor a JSR will be licensed for comment-and-evaluation, while codeon the development list for that JSR's reference implementationwill be licensed under the GPL?

Yes, that's correct.

20

How can I tell which terms,i.e.,comment-and-evaluation or GPL, apply to a particular mailing list,web page, issue, or Mercurial repository?

The terms applicable to a mailing list will bedisplayed on the list's main page and also sent to all newsubscribers. The terms applicable to an OpenJDK web page or issuewill be displayed at the bottom of the page. The terms applicableto a Mercurial repository will be available in the LICENSE file atthe root of the repository or, if appropriate, in the root of itscontaining forest.

21

Can I forward an e-mail message from one list toanother when the terms of the lists are incompatible?

No, please don't do that.

22

Aren't thespecification license and the comment-and-evaluation terms onJSR EG mailing lists inconsistent with the goal of having an opendevelopment community?

Some people will consider these terms to be lessthan ideal. Existing contractual obligations, however, require theuse of these terms.

23

Aren't these terms inconsistent withAppendix A of the OpenJDKBylaws?

No, that section is about licenses for code ratherthan for specification material.

24

Does this change mean that the Java SE conformancetests (the JCK) will be released under the GPL or some otheropen-source license?

No, but the JCK remains available at no charge forOpenJDK-derived implementations under the terms of theOpenJDK Community TCKLicense Agreement (OCTLA).

25

What should I do if I have a question that isn'tanswered here?

Send your question to thegeneraldiscussion list. (You'll need to subscribe first, otherwiseyour message will be discarded as spam.) We'll do our best torespond to all questions, but please understand that questions of alegal nature may require extra time to answer.

Last update: 2012/6/20