Java And The Open Source Jalopy

1 minute read

September 29, 2004, 12:52 PM PDT

Many state and federal governments around the world are increasingly turning to open source software for e-government solutions. According to Sun Microsystems Inc. chairman Scott McNealy, a state and local government that bases an e-government portal on open source is building a "custom jalopy" and digging "a deeper hole by going open source." He recommends using Java and Solaris instead.

McNealy also mentioned that Sun Microsystems is close to "open sourcing" Solaris. Will governments that use an open source Solaris operating system be digging a deeper hole too?

McNealy is trying to sell his company's products and services. Nothing wrong with that. But he goes on to make this comment :

"I've told the government it ought to be a court-martial offense to develop in anything but Java."

Maybe Mr. McNealy has been drinking too much coffee.

Abhijeet Chavan

Abhijeet Chavan is the co-founder and former co-editor-in-chief of Planetizen and the executive producer of Planetizen Courses. He was also the chief technology officer of Urban Insight, Inc., the technology consulting firm that operates Planetizen. Abhijeet Chavan has over 20 years of technology consulting experience working with government, higher education, legal services, and non-profit clients.

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