Java News from Monday, July 25, 2005

More NetBeans bogosity today. I discovered that Eclipse wouldn't support a local CVS repository, so I decided to give NetBeans one more try. However, the download requires me to accept a non-open-source license that severely restricts what I'm allowed to do. I've heard Sun claim that Netbeans is open source, but that doesn't seem to be true. Among other things the license states, "You may not create, modify, or change the behavior of, or authorize your licensees to create, modify, or change the behavior of, classes, interfaces, or subpackages that are in any way identified as 'java', 'javax', 'sun' or similar convention as specified by Sun in any naming convention designation." and I "agree to defend and indemnify Sun and its licensors from and against any damages, costs, liabilities, settlement amounts and/or expenses (including attorneys' fees) incurred in connection with any claim, lawsuit or action by any third party that arises or results from the use or distribution of any and all Programs and/or Software." Has anyone published a version of NetBeans that is open source. or is Sun just flat out lying about this?