Summary

Borrowing from the proven-effective strategy for Open Source software development, the ASF sets out to create a certified J2EE container, distributed with the Apache 2.0 license, managed by a meritocracy of server developers, and supported by a community of active J2EE developers/users.

Apache Geronimo was created by a small, but dedicated, group of developers. These developers have demonstrated their technical ability on many other Open Source projects.

Also important in Geronimo’s young history was the participation of IBM. IBM started with the Gluecode Software acquisition, development of a support service for Geronimo users, and the introduction of the community edition of Websphere Application Server (WAS CE) - based on Geronimo. Clearly, IBM has adopted Open Source software with no intention of displacing or subsuming it - instead, profiting only from added value - a business model never seen before from a multinational software vendor that is based purely on services and support.

Open Source software can be attractive to many organizations and enterprises primarily because it is distributed free of charge. In addition, since the source is available, the software can be adapted to specific use, and defects can be corrected by competent in-house developers. The wide availability of source code also means that skilled labor and support services are readily available from multiple sources - even internationally. This ability to have multiple sources for support or developer resources is gaining importance as some enterprises attempts to get out of the single-vendor handcuffs contracted during the prior decade of rapid growth.

There are many variations on Open Source software licenses. The most popular are based on GNU, BSD, or Apache. The GNU software licenses typically allow free use but oblige the user to contribute new enhancements as Open Source software to the community. The BSD software license is very liberal. However, it does require the acknowledgment of software source if the software is resold or embedded into a product. The Apache licenses are recognized by the industry to be the most liberal in existence. Apache licenses allow full commercial use and sale of the software, without any contribution obligations.

Chapter 4 turns its attention back to the Geronimo server and takes a look inside to reveal all of the internal machinery.