I just came off a phone call where Oracle were briefing community members about their announcement to open up Java EE. The process has just started and, understandably, there are currently more questions than answers.

• Oracle finds Java EE to be very successful
• Millions of applications are using Java EE
• Oracle plans to continue support of Java EE
• Java EE 8 will be completed as planned
• Java EE 8 will also be certified on Java SE 9

By stepping aside and relicensing the technologies to an open source foundation, Oracle hope to address the perception about the openness, agility and flexibility of the current process. What this will actually mean to the Java Community Process (JCP) is uncertain. It will at least have to go through some reform to accommodate the new licensing terms.

One thing to note here, and something that is a really big thumbs up to Oracle, is that they are now informing and including the community and key players in the process from the start.