VMWARE acquired SpringSource

Strange but confirmed. VMWARE acquires SpringSource... I am on my hass !

The only understandable synergy at this stage is the Hyperic applications monitoring (that SpringSource acquired recently). VMWARE is eager to be a key player in vitual infrastructure - so called cloud. That makes sense. But what will do VMWARE with all this Java stuff?

I am a bit concerned about the future of the Spring container (and Groovy and Grails).

http://www.vmware.com/company/news/releases/springsource.html

SpringSource support pricing - nothing free - like free lunch?

Interesting article about SpringSource support pricing http://java.dzone.com/articles/the-cost-springsource-enterpri

Obviously, the company has to get revenues from something but it is good to remember that some free stuff can finally cost more than their commercial equivalent products.

Also some comments of the article about the source repository and the possibility to get fixes without a support contract are relatively pertinent.

I say relatively because my experience is that even with subscription and support contracts, small companies have difficulties to get their problem recognized by some vendors.

My feeling however is that SpringSource plays the classical commercial Java game - meaning the pricing is not clearly displayed and replaced by "contact sales".

Again this is complicated for small companies and makes comparison very difficult. So watch before to take a technical decision and don't forget that the relation with the vendor also matters.

SpringSource acquires Hyperic

SpringSource acquires hyperic. It is astonishing to see how well SpringSource played these last two years. While integrating various other products and frameworks SpringSource mastered the art of making a consistent Java alternative enterprise offering. I spent little time on monitoring and scaling, but I think it make sense.

SpringSource is kind of safest (specially considering the uncertain Oracle-SUN strategy), efficient way of doing lean good Java apps. I think its business model should be studied in depth. All their products are pure open source. Great documentation is provided (good affordable documentation is a key for community acceptance). So training, conference and expertise is their single financing at this stage. It is funny to see how SUN could never build a decent software service stream of revenues while alternate vendors did...

I hope they wille give it a shot in the RIA dance. Or do we have to consider that BlazeDS (Flex intergation) is their way to RIA ?