Azul tackles Oracle with open-source Java for Internet of Stuff

Azul Systems has added a new, ultra-compact entry to its portfolio of alternative Java environments, taking a run at Oracle for the lucrative mobile, embedded, and Internet of Things (IoT) markets. Zulu Embedded is a stripped-down sibling of Zulu, Azul's certified, cross-platform build of OpenJDK – Oracle's open source …

[Missing Semicolon]

So how do they get round the Oracle copyright hammer?

I thought that there were two problems for roll-your-own Java:

1) The APIs are copyrighted (Android, ouch!)

2) The TCK had licencing restrictions that prevented redistribution of the tested code.

[Gil Tene]

Re: So how do they get round the Oracle copyright hammer?

[standard IANAL disclaimer applies]

1) "APIs are copyrighted" question: Yes. The code is copyrighted. But it is also licensed under GPLv2+CPE : See http://openjdk.java.net/legal/gplv2+ce.html . Works fine for JDKs that expect to remain open under GPLv2+CPE (like Zulu embedded), but doesn't help JDKs that don't wish to accept and propagate GPLv2+CPE as a license.

2) "TCK restrictions" question: See http://openjdk.java.net/legal/octla-java-se-8.pdf . While there are very real restrictions on redistribution of (and on what you can do with) the TCK, the OCTLA does not restrict distribution of either source or tested binaries beyond requiring that they meet the license requirements of the OpenJDK source license. Again, this works great for JDKs that plan to remain open under GPLv2+CPE, but doesn't do much to JDKs that don't wish to use GPLv2+CPE as their downstream license.

[Anonymous Coward]

"[Oracle] has been slowly driving up the cost of Java development for small device markets." Indeed, but you have to make the decision on what's available now not vapourware "depending on customer demand" and a lot of small devices do not use Intel.