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JAVA COMMUNITY PROCESS (JCPSM) DELIVERS NEW PROGRAM ENHANCEMENTS


New Agreement and Governing Rules Further Stimulate Collective Innovation, Create More Choices for Java Developers

Santa Clara, Calif. -- October 29, 2002 -- On behalf of the members of the Java Community ProcessSM the JCP Program Management Office (PMO) today launched a new iteration of the program, JCP 2.5. The new version enhances the JCP by enabling the participation of a wider variety of contributors and by increasing the flexibility of the process by which compatible implementations of Java technology are created. As a result of the new program enhancements, JCP is evolving into a more effective forum for serving the three million Java developers and for supporting the activities of an increasingly broader membership base.

"The new version of the JCP represents a milestone in the ongoing evolution of the program," said Rob Gingell, chair of the JCP. "The members of the two Executive Committees of the JCP have developed and adopted changes to the program that promote both innovation and participation in the creation of implementations of Java technology, and at the same time enhance the values of compatibility that have made Java the preferred platform for millions of developers."

The new agreement and governing rules give more freedom and equal standing to all Java community participants enabling them to implement compatible Java specifications under a license of their own choosing including open source licenses. The Java Specification Participation Agreement (JSPA) requires all Java specifications to allow for development and distribution of compatible independent implementations, make specification products available separately and offer Technology Compatibility Kits (TCK) free of charge to qualified non-profits, educational organizations and individuals. The JCP 2.5 process document focuses on the implementation of the new agreement and on the continued availability of Java APIs as part of or independent of platform specifications.

"JCP 2.5 breaks new ground by making open source licensing possible for those who work on Java specifications and those who create compatible independent implementations of the specifications," said Jason Hunter, vice-president, Apache Software Foundation and JCP EC member. "In addition the cost structure has been changed to allow smaller developer groups and individual developers to gain broader access to Java specifications, often times free of cost."

Going forward all new Java Specification Requests are required to operate under the new agreement. The document is available at http://jcp.org/aboutJava/communityprocess/JSPA2.pdf and has already been signed by some of the JCP members including Apache, BEA, IONA, Motorola, Nokia and Doug Lea, professor of computer science at the State University of New York at Oswego and member of the JCP EC. The new JCP 2.5 process document is posted at http://jcp.org/procedures/jcp2/index.en.jsp.

About the Java Community Process

Since its introduction in 1995 as the open, inclusive process to develop and revise Java technology specifications, reference implementations, and technology compatibility kits, the Java Community Process program has fostered the evolution of the Java platform in cooperation with the international Java developer community. The JCP has over 650 company and individual participants; more than 190 Java technology specifications are in development in the JCP program out of which 46% are in final stages. For more information on the JCP program, please visit http://jcp.org

About Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Since its inception in 1982, a singular vision -- The Network Is The ComputerTM -- has propelled Sun Microsystems, Inc. (Nasdaq: SUNW) to its position as a leading provider of industrial-strength hardware, software and services that make the Net work. Sun can be found in more than 100 countries and on the World Wide Web at http://www.sun.com.

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Sun, Sun Microsystems, the Sun logo, JCP, "Write Once, Run Anywhere", Java and all Java-based marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Corina Ulescu
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
+1 408 276 6159
corina.ulescu@sun.com

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