however, I don't think it will ever go away until the gods of information (oracle) abandon it. Don't know what it will take to make that happen -- some real competition, I suppose.
RE: Oracle and Java
Ever since Oracle acquired Sun Microsystems last year, Java community members have worried that the database giant would attempt to seize control of the Java platform. The effort to transform Java into an open source, standards-based platform driven by industry-wide consensus and collaboration was long and arduous.
Oracle has never been one to share its markets willingly, and Oracle CEO Larry Ellison made no bones about what he saw as Sun’s failure to capitalize on its Java technology.
And Sure enough, over recent months Oracle has launched its campaign in earnest.
First, it announced an agreement with IBM to collaborate on Oracle’s OpenJDK as the primary open source Java SE implementation, at the apparent expense of the rival Apache Harmony project.
Next it tried to stack the deck of the Java Community Process (JCP) in its own favor by appointing a ringer — a hitherto unheard-of Oracle customer called Hologic — for a position on the JCP Executive Committee.
Now Oracle has announced plans to offer a “premium,” commercial version of the JVM to enterprise customers, including unspecified enhancements that won’t be shared with the community-built version.
So, The Apache Software Foundation (ASF), one of the most important contributors of open source Java tools and frameworks, has issued an ultimatum demanding that the JCP enforce the ASF’s rights as a fair and equal participant in the Java specification process.
The ASF is not the first to object to Oracle’s aggressive, bullying tactics in the Java community. Prominent contributor David Lea withdrew from the JCP Executive Committee last month, claiming, “I believe that the JCP is no longer a credible specification and standards body, and there is no remaining useful role for an independent advocate for the academic and research community on the [executive committee].”
Things don’t bode well if this is what happens when Oracle takes over Java.
On the other hand, Microsoft seems to be going the right direction with their open source — MONO project, which has now successfully ported the .NET platform to LINUX, SOLARIS, ANDROID, IOS, OS X, and some for game consoles such as PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360.
In fact, Microsoft’s policy for Open Source developers is this — HOW CAN WE HELP TO MAKE .NET MORE OPEN?
The folks at the Open Source Mono project in fact have an office at Microsoft’s HQ.
Things are starting to look interesting from here...
Maybe client side it will go away eventually, not on the server side however. Way too much WebSphere, Weblogic and JBoss out there running entire sites. Some of Oracle’s latest offerings (GRID for example) are JVM based.