JAVA GOES FREE — ER, OPEN

After an awful lot of talk about how it supports Open Source Software (OSS), Sun finally released its Java source code last Friday — a couple of years after the open source conversation first began.
     The code is now posted on the company’s Web site. But, as expected, there are a few hooks in the new Community Source License agreement — which any reseller must sign — that will quickly distinguish this offer from that of Linux or other OSS efforts. To wit: all resellers of Java must still pay a license fee to Sun; all resellers must sign an agreement controlling usage of Java. Extensions or enhancements of Java are strictly verboten.
     Did I say “open?”
     Except that source code is available, this is the business model of a closed system in all other respects. Ain’t marketing grand? You can download it, do whatever you want with it, then ask Sun’s permission to approve any changes you made, then pay Sun, then give up your rights to those changes ….
     Oh, I get it: you do the work, Sun gets the money. Seems fair enough.
     In a related white paper, Sun visionary Bill Joy says he is looking for a new business model. Keep looking, I’d say — this one’s old.

CALIFORNIA: A Y2K MINIVERSE

I have long suggested that the Year 2000 problem will be focused on smaller entities in general — smaller firms, countries, states, that have no budget for compliance assurance — and that this will give a sharp competitive edge to those groups who have already solved their problems.
     Enter California. It is hard to call the Golden State a small anything, and yet this week, the California Bureau of State Audits released a report noting that “14 of 20 critical agencies” had not yet tested systems for compliance.
     Oops.
     This brings up a level of competition that we probably should all think about, and which isn’t patently obvious. How is Louisiana doing on Y2K? How is Yoknapatawpha County doing? How is your town doing?
     Although your town does not compete directly with Thailand, it is likely that some of your towns, at least, are as poorly equipped as some poorer countries when it comes to Y2K readiness. What does this mean? If towns cannot provide services, neighboring boroughs may be called to do so. Will they charge? You bet. This is called competition.
     If counties cannot provide services, neighboring counties will not be of much assistance. But the turmoil may cause long-term competitive disadvantage, after all the dust settles.
     And if states cannot provide services: well, that’s where things get serious. To a citizen, there is no difference between services provided by the state and the federal government. These problems will be solvable, and are not cause for panic; but heads will roll, and fortunes will change hands, based on the outcome.
     Looks like new California Gov. Gray Davis has his work cut out for him. And you can assume those heads will start rolling before the end of the year.