Java - is it free?

Question

We've been using Java to build our enterprise software (not embedded) for years and redistributing the JRE to our customers freely. Recently Oracle representatives approached us at a tradeshow offering their services. After a couple of calls with our engineers they started claiming that we need to pay them for Java because our software is not "General Purpose".

So, a few questions:

1. Has anyone else encountered this?
2. Has anyone switched to OpenJDK?
3. Any other alternatives?

Thanks in advance,

Mark

Answer 1

If my memory serves correctly, I vaguely remember reading somewhere that you are allowed to redistribute JRE with your apps, but not the JDK itself for free. Why would you want to distribute JDK anyways, unless you are building IDEs? Then of course, Oracle could step in and demand remuneration.