Finally Sun has released Java under GPL2 license.

Read more about it at Tor Norbye’s blog or at this digg entry.

Some highlights:

• HotSpot VM and JavaC compiler will be opensourced under the OpenJDK project
• SE 7.0 to be OS’ed first, SE6 to follow
• License GPV2 a la GNU/Linux with a GNU/Classpath exception to allow linking to non-GPL code.
• GPLv2 chosen due to popularity, compatability and protection (non-public fork not legal)
• Possibility of eventual GPLv3 upgrade when the FSF releases it.
• Easier to distribute runtime as well as SDK with Linux etc.
• Commercial licence policies remain in place.