Sylvain Wallez wrote:
Go to http://java.sun.com/products/jms/docs.html then click on the "continue" button below "Download the version 1.1 API..." and read section 2 of the licence: "you may not modify, decompile, or reverse engineer Software".
Auto-generating mocks from a jar file definitely looks like reverse engineering.
Okay, understood - but in this case, simply using the Java Reflection API on a class in the java.* or javax.* packages would already be a license violation due to the "reverse engineering" aspect, or am I mistaken ?
Tough question... Where does reflective programming and reverse engineering start? I have no answer...
Hmm... I sent a private query to the Sun Sales staff asking for their opinion on this and on the (auto-)generation of mocks of their optional Java packages, as it is an interesting question. If auto-generation was allowed, such a tool might automate the whole mock class generation.
I guess I know the answer: they will cover their ass and answer either that you cannot or that they don't know but that you should avoid it in case it violates the licence ;-)
Sylvain
-- Sylvain Wallez Anyware Technologies http://www.apache.org/~sylvain http://www.anyware-tech.com { XML, Java, Cocoon, OpenSource }*{ Training, Consulting, Projects } Orixo, the opensource XML business alliance - http://www.orixo.com
