SpringSource (which, it's easy to forget, is now a division of VMware), introduced Spring 3.0 today, a major new version of the company’s Java development framework. SpringSource is targeting developers focused on web and service-based applications with the new release. This release of Spring's framework is the first since VMware's acquisition of the company, and version 3.0 is backward compatible with version 2.5. It has full REST support for web applications.

The European Commission's months-long deliberation over Oracle's proposed acquisition of Sun Microsystems is still ongoing, causing many observers to conclude that Europe's pokey investigation is hurting Sun. There are signs, for example, that MySQL customers are jumping ship for Sun competitors, such as IBM. Former MySQL CEO Mårten Mickos has written Neelie Kroes, Europe's Competition Commissioner, a letter saying as much. While Oracle itself has been relatively quiet about the delay, Sunday night at the Oracle OpenWorld conference in San Francisco, both Oracle CEO Larry Ellison and Sun Microsystems Chairman Scott McNealy addressed an audience and vowed together that Sun's technologies will continue and improve under Oracle.

Mickos letter to EU: Approve Oracle-Sun deal. Former MySQL CEO Mårten Mickos has written a note accusing the EU of doing a disservice to MySQL.

Seeking a Stallman for open source. Who should be the spokesperson?

Oracle OpenWorld to shed light on the company's Java plans. Application development will figure prominently at the conference.

Microsoft and Novell say relationship is "exceeding expectations." Microsoft has sold $220 million worth of Suse Linux subscriptions for Novell.