ARMONK, N.Y., Feb. 26 (UPI) -- U.S. computer giant IBM this week urged Sun Microsystems to make its Java technology open source to improve its acceptance across the computer industry.
CNET News reported late Wednesday that Rod Smith, IBM's vice president of emerging technology, sent a letter to Sun in which he offered IBM's cooperation to create a project to develop Java through an open-source model. If implemented, portions of Sun's most valuable software asset would be freely available, and contributors would submit changes to the Java software.
"Sun's strong commitment to open-source Java would speed the development of a first-class and compatible open-source Java implementation to the benefit of our customers and our industry," Smith wrote to Rob Gingell, a Sun vice president. "We are firmly convinced the open-source community would rally around this effort."
Sun officials said they have received the letter, but have placed no timeframe for a response.
