[jsword-devel] Open Source Java

[DM Smith]

Because of our reliance on Sun's Java for BibleDesktop and JSword, our  
software has never been truly free. Every few months I try the "free"  
contenders with disappointment. The problem has always been with the  
contenders not implementing Java's HTML rendering as we relied upon  
it. As Richard Stallman calls it, we fell into the "Java Trap" and  
couldn't get out.

But today is a good day for rejoicing. I just used java-1.7.0-icedtea  
on Fedora 8 with no problems!

The practical implications of this is that we will some day be able to  
ship a light, embedded version of Java that only contains what  
BibleDesktop needs. For platforms such as the OLPC (One Laptop Per  
Child) that I noted in an earlier post we can have a reasonably  
acceptable footprint.

Praise God!!!

In His Service,
	DM