SD Times: Inside the Java Community Process

Image by Obie Fernandez via Flickr

I just finished reading an article in SD Times June 2011 edition about "Inside the Java Community Process" which details how the JCP works, and its membership. There are some errors and omissions which could have been resolved with a little fact checking. Especially since the material is public.

Becoming a JCP Member details how to become a member. The article mentions educational, governmental, and non-profits must pay $2,000.00 USD per year to become members. However, there is an exception for Java User Groups. Java User Groups can participate for FREE. The details are Java User Groups get free first row seats in the JCP!. This was a serious omission since, we (Java Users Groups) have two seats on the Java Standard Edition (SE) Executive Committee (EC), and the article refers to this later. Any JUG can participate in the JCP and a representative can be elected, or ratified to a seat on the EC.

The author also failed to look at the voting results which clearly show that SouJava and London Java Community (LJC) were elected, and not Central Ohio Java Users Group. I hope in future elections to see dedicated Java Users Groups like Central Ohio Java Users Group to get a seat, but this was not the case for the special elections. Congratulations to both SouJava and London Java Community on their election by the JCP community.

I like the SD Times, but this is basic journalism to check facts, and be clear.

Related articles

• JCP Elections 26 April - 09 May 2011 (javaevangelist.blogspot.com)
• JCP - A Question of Validity (javaevangelist.blogspot.com)
• JSR 348: Towards a new version of the Java Community Process (jcp.org)