OStatic

One of the fascinating trends that the Java world has seen in the last few years is the growth of non-Java languages that use the JVM (Java Virtual Machine). After all, if you create a new programming language, you will need to write it for a particular platform. If you want your language to be portable across platforms, you will need to implement versions for each of those platforms. By contrast, if you implement your language on the JVM, then your language will work on any system with a JVM, which is basically everywhere. Four of these languages -- Jython, JRuby, Groovy, and Scala -- are released under open-source licenses, and are increasingly popular choices for programmers who value portability.

The developers of Django, a Python-based framework for creating and deploying sophisticated Web applications, announced yesterday that they have established the Django Foundation. This foundation, like foundations for Apache and Mozilla, will allow for communal ownership of the Django code, as well as accept donations and pay individuals.

If you've ever sat back and tried to visualize how all the global commitments to various open source projects look--a picture of sharing done on the grand scale--a U.C. Davis web site is now serving these views up in video format. I've been studying software projects for a while now, says the site author, who is identified on Slashdot as a U.C. Davis student. Not the programming, but the people -- the way they interact with each other through collaboration and communication. The videos are quite eye-catching and informative. Here's more.