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Oracle: please follow through on Project SocialSite

One year ago on this day I wrote that Sun Microsystems is willing to contribute Project SocialSite" to the Apache Software Foundation. My contacts at Sun told me it was OK to make that announcement because a VP approved. One year later, we have established Apache SocialSite (incubating) project, setup user accounts, put up a status page and setup source code control but we still have no code from Sun.

Since March 2009 I've been exchanging emails with my helpful contacts at Sun and trying to help them move forward with the contribution, but because of the ongoing Oracle/Sun merger things have moved incredibly slowly. Finally in late December 2009, my Sun contacts had permission to actually release the code to Apache, but there was a problem.

When Sun said that they were willing to contribute the SocialSite code to Apache, I figured that they would do so using the standard Software Grant agreement that was used for Roller and all other projects entering Apache via the Incubator. Unfortunately, the Sun lawyers did not want to use the standard Software Grant agreement and Apache did and does not want to devise a new legal agreement just to accommodate Sun. That's where we stand today. Sun committed to contributing SocialSite to Apache and now we're waiting for Oracle/Sun to follow through on that commitment.

Meanwhile, others have been making some progress with SocialSite. A major sports brand has launched a SocialSite based network with a million-plus users. A couple of developers have rewritten the build script to use Maven, others have "ported" to JBoss and there is still interest in and a need for what was Sun's Project SocialSite. Neither effort has contributed code back to SocialSite-proper and because of legal concerns are waiting for the main code to appear at Apache.

fish1 fish2 fish3

SocialSite is a small project and it will not survive for much longer with resources spread across multiple sites and a community working separately. So, I'm asking again and publicly: Oracle, please follow through on your commitment and grant the Project SocialSite codebase to Apache.

Comments:

Bizarre - both Sun and Oracle have contributed code to Apache in the past without trying to invent a vanity contribution license. I'm guessing the cats have left, the new cats aren't sure what to do and the mice are playing. Confusion rules.

Posted by Hen on March 28, 2010 at 05:14 AM EDT #

Sorry, Dave. I'm afraid that SocialSite's timing has been about as poor as one could design. The contribution has been approved several times but in each occasion (the 'imminence' of) external events have forced it be placed on hold. Right now we are all being very busy with the transition to the new company and learning how the new process and stakeholders. Not a very good excuse for taking so long to make this happen. My apologies. - eduard/o

Posted by Eduardo Pelegri-Llopart on March 29, 2010 at 04:48 AM EDT #

Thanks for your help on this Eduardo. I think the delay is entirely due to bad timing and perhaps personel changes. I'm still very interested in moving SocialSite forward at Apache and I hope there is still enough community interest to make it happen. - Dave

Posted by Dave Johnson on March 31, 2010 at 12:32 AM EDT #

So..... (?)

Posted by Thierry Andriamirado on August 26, 2011 at 07:24 AM EDT #

I left Oracle in November 2010.

Posted by Eduardo Pelegri-Llopart on August 26, 2011 at 04:17 PM EDT #

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