Progress in JSR

This article holds a discussion on the important changes implemented by JCP.next.  JSRs 348, 355, and 358 are collectively referred to as JCP.next. These JSRs address a number of important issues related to openness, agility, and governance.There used to be a perception that Expert Groups operated secretly, working  behind closed doors for months or even years, after which a new specification would mysteriously appear. JSR 348, which is now in effect, changes that paradigm substantially. It requires Expert Groups to conduct their business transparently via public mailing lists and a public Issue Tracker. The JSR explicitly states that all JCP members, and members of the public, must have the opportunity to view, comment on, and participate in the process. Transparency and participation are the keys to running an effective standards-development process in a world where open source practices are becoming increasingly ubiquitous. JSR 348 facilitates these practices. JSR 355, also complete, was fairly simple. We previously had two separate Executive Committees, one for Java ME and one for Java SE/EE. Now those have been merged into one. With Java ME and Java SE/EE convergence on the horizon, it no longer makes sense to maintain two Executive Committees. This change will streamline operations considerably. JSR 358 is still in progress. It will take transparency and participation to the next level, mandating the use of open source development processes and open source licenses for virtually all JSRs. This is a complex task, because it involves changes to the Java Specification Participation Agreement (JSPA), the legal contract that JCP members sign when they join the organization. It is difficult to modify the JSPA because it contains complex legal language dealing with issues such as intellectual property and licensing models. We have to be very careful when changing it, because the repercussions can be far-reaching. So, JSR 358 is going to take some time.