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I found most articles on the subject very confusing. But from what I read, the commercial features in the Java SE download are behind a very obvious flag (Unloc

I found most articles on the subject very confusing. But from what I read, the commercial features in the Java SE download are behind a very obvious flag (UnlockCommercialFeatures), which should avoid accidentally using those features without knowing it. The definition of "general purpose computing" is confusing to me, I've no idea where full computers/desktops that control specific devices would fall under this definition.

pawadu 10y ago
Yeah, but what does "CommercialFeatures" mean? How much do each use of each function costs you? If you are already paying for standard Java support, wouldn't you assume it includes these features? Also, one particular company with tens of thousands of installations was hit by Oracle lawyers because a software they bought from third party had for some reason this flag enabled.
- izacus 10y ago
  I think "Commercial Features" is pretty much clear enough, especially since the Oracle paid features aren't really kept in secret.
  - dispose13432 10y ago
    What extra functionality does it include?
epalmer 10y ago
I'm finding this confusing as well. I write some Java programs for my employer. I just use the SDK/JDK. Most of what we do is use apache came, with spring and apache httpclient with some other non-oracle libraries for processing json or xml. How do I figure out if we are at risk? We use the apps in-house only.
- agibsonccc 10y ago
  As was said above - figure out if your IT department is enabling that flag when running your java applications in production.
  - dispose13432 10y ago
    What do you do if you run commercial code?
    - marcoperaza 10y ago
      The only thing you should really ever do if you have legal concerns: contact legal, and only legal, immediately in a way that preserves attorney-client privilege. If you have concerns about personal legal liability, then contact your own lawyer.
    - agibsonccc 10y ago
      Openjdk is fine for commercial applications. If you have commercial code openjdk will work fine. Just make sure that flag isn't enabled. Openjdk doesn't have all the same features as the oracle jdk (javafx etc)
i2shar 10y ago
They could also not include the commercial features in the standard download and make you download additional stuff to use the commercial features as they do with the Unlimited encryption packages.

pawadu 10y ago

Yeah, but what does "CommercialFeatures" mean? How much do each use of each function costs you? If you are already paying for standard Java support, wouldn't you assume it includes these features? Also, one particular company with tens of thousands of installations was hit by Oracle lawyers because a software they bought from third party had for some reason this flag enabled.

izacus 10y ago
I think "Commercial Features" is pretty much clear enough, especially since the Oracle paid features aren't really kept in secret.
- dispose13432 10y ago
  What extra functionality does it include?

epalmer 10y ago

I'm finding this confusing as well. I write some Java programs for my employer. I just use the SDK/JDK. Most of what we do is use apache came, with spring and apache httpclient with some other non-oracle libraries for processing json or xml. How do I figure out if we are at risk? We use the apps in-house only.

agibsonccc 10y ago
As was said above - figure out if your IT department is enabling that flag when running your java applications in production.
- dispose13432 10y ago
  What do you do if you run commercial code?
  - marcoperaza 10y ago
    The only thing you should really ever do if you have legal concerns: contact legal, and only legal, immediately in a way that preserves attorney-client privilege. If you have concerns about personal legal liability, then contact your own lawyer.
  - agibsonccc 10y ago
    Openjdk is fine for commercial applications. If you have commercial code openjdk will work fine. Just make sure that flag isn't enabled. Openjdk doesn't have all the same features as the oracle jdk (javafx etc)

i2shar 10y ago

They could also not include the commercial features in the standard download and make you download additional stuff to use the commercial features as they do with the Unlimited encryption packages.