This is how Oracle finally kills Java. I stopped working with Java many years ago and firmly believe that no developer should tie themselves to this fuckery. Find a new job before it’s too late.

This is only very indirectly related to Java as a whole. the reference implementation of the jvm is open source and managed by a coalition of companies under a GPL license, the OpenJDK.

Oracle has its own set of enhancements to the reference jvm that handle things like just-in-time compilation and garbage collection differently and have some additional flags that allow for more fine-grained tweaking of certain features.

There are many other companies that do the same.

Oracle only started doing this in 2019 so many companies who were running Java before this used the Oracle JVM out of convenience, even if they weren’t going to use the tweaked parts. So everyone switched to another implementation, OpenJDK, Amazon Coretto, Eclipse J9 or some other available JRE/JDK.

In 2023 Oracle cracked down harder trying to get people to pay for licenses and changed their terms such that any company with even 1 employee using an Oracle JVM had to pay for every employee in the company. ridiculous I know.

This is just more news about Oracle’s licensing crackdown and not about Java as a whole at all. Think of it more like the Unity licensing change and you’re telling people to stop coding in C#.

I’m aware of the jdk alternatives and I will never use any of them because Oracle might some day decide that they’re an IP violation like they did with Google’s Android. I’m sure you’ll tell me something about the licensing being different but that still will not matter because there is always the possibility that Oracle will change their mind and start messing with me for sport. The Java ecosystem is rotten from the top down because Oracle cannot be trusted.

OpenJDK is released under the GPL. That requires making any patents available for free to users.

They could theoretically change their mind and try some shit, but the GPL is hard to go “backsies” on.

Feel free to use it, as long as you’re willing to pay lawyers to fight them when they decide otherwise.

You’re just spreading FUD now.

It’s just my reasoning as to why I won’t use Oracle products. Feel free to put your own company at risk.

I f’ing love how you’re blaming me personally. Don’t be a dick.

BTW - don’t mistake “cynicism” for “reasoning”.

Sorry, I have my own company, my choices matter, you should blame whomever made that choice for you.

It’s not necessarily cynicism if it’s based on previous patterns of behavior. Oracle reveals themselves to be run by bullies again and again and I choose to not put myself at risk. You do you.