The JCP 2 Process Document defines many terms and acronyms that are used throughout the JCP website. This page collects all the definitions in one place for easy reference. The definitions are arranged alphabetically.

A | C | D | E | F | I | J | M | P | Q | R | S | T | U

Appeal Ballot: The EC ballot to override a first-level decision on a TCK test challenge.

Change Log: An area accessible from the Spec Page that lists all changes made to the Specification after Final Release. There are three sections: PROPOSED (changes not yet made to the Specification), ACCEPTED (changes made), and DEFERRED (change items to be considered in a new JSR).

Community Review: A 30 to 90 day period when Members review and comment on the draft Specification.

Continued Availability: Describes a set of rules for standalone JSRs (Java APIs not part of a Java platform) that become part of a Java platform (such as J2EE platform or the J2SE platform) later on as the result of a future JSR for that API.

Dormant Specification (Dormant): A Specification that does not have an identified Maintenance Lead. All Specifications become Dormant at the end of their life cycle.

Draft Specification Approval Ballot: The EC ballot to determine if a draft should proceed to Public Review.

Draft Specification Reconsideration Ballot: The EC ballot to determine if a revised draft should proceed to Public Review.

Early Draft Review: A 30 to 90 day review period when a draft of the Specification is made available to the public for review and comment.

Elected Seat: An EC seat filled by the election process described in section A.4.3.

Executive Committee (EC): The Members who guide the evolution of the Java technologies. The EC represents a cross-section of both major stakeholders and other Members of the Java Community. Members must have signed the EC acceptance letter in order to serve on the EC. The EC Policies and Procedures are in Appendix A.

Expert: A Member representative (or an individual who has signed the IEPA) who has expert knowledge and is an active practitioner in the technology covered by the JSR.

Expert Group: The group of Experts who develop or make significant revisions to a Specification.

Final Approval Ballot: The 14-day EC ballot to approve the Final Draft along with its associated RI and TCK.

Final Approval Reconsideration Ballot: The 14-day EC ballot to reconsider an initial rejection of a Final Draft, RI, and TCK.

Final Draft: The final draft of the Specification that will be put forward for EC approval.

First-Level TCK Appeals Process: The process defined by the Spec Lead that allows implementors of the Specification to appeal one or more tests defined by the Specification''s TCK.

IEPA1: The IEPA that covers an individual''s participation on the Expert Group of a JSR started before October 29, 2002.

IEPA2: The Final Release of JSR 99: the revised IEPA that covers an individual''s participation on the Expert Group of a JSR started on or after October 29, 2002.

Individual Expert Participation Agreement (IEPA): An agreement between Sun Microsystems and an individual that allows that individual to serve on an Expert Group at the invitation of the Specification Lead. There is no fee associated with the IEPA and it is valid until the Expert Group disbands. The IEPA allows individual technical experts who do not represent companies or organizations to participate on an Expert Group without becoming a JCP Member.

Item Exception Ballot: The EC ballot to determine whether or not to include specific change items in a Minor Revision.

J2ME Building Block (Building Block): A subset of one or more APIs defined in the J2SE or J2EE Platform Edition Specifications. The J2ME Platform Edition Specification is a collection of Building Blocks. J2ME Profile Specifications can build up desired functionality by combining new API sets with existing Building Blocks.

JCP Specification Page (Spec Page): Each Specification approved for development or revision will have a dedicated public web page established on the JCP Web Site to contain a history of the passage of the Specification through the JCP, including a record of the decisions, actions, and votes taken by the EC with respect to the draft Specification.

JCP Web Site: The web site where anyone with an Internet connection can stay informed about JCP activities, download draft and final Specifications, and follow the progress of Specifications through the JCP.

JSPA 1: A Java Specification Participation Agreement covering Membership in the JCP and participation in JSRs started before October 29, 2002.

JSPA 2: the output of JSR 99: the revised version of the Java Specification Participation Agreement that covers Membership in the JCP and participation in JSRs started after October 29, 2002.

JSR Approval Ballot: The 14-day EC ballot running concurrently with JSR Review to determine if the JSR should be approved.

JSR Page: Each initiated JSR will be published on a public area of the JCP Web Site.

JSR Reconsideration Ballot: The EC ballot to determine if a revised JSR should be approved.

JSR Review: A 14 day period when anyone with an Internet connection can review and comment on a new JSR.

Java Community Process (JCP): The JCP is the home of the international developer community whose charter it is to develop and evolve Java technology specifications, reference implementations, and technology compatibility kits.

Java Community Process Member (Member): A company, organization, or individual that has signed the JSPA and is abiding by its terms.

Java Specification (Specification): A written specification for some aspect of the Java technology. This includes the language, virtual machine, Platform Editions, Profiles, and application programming interfaces.

Java Specification Participation Agreement (JSPA): A one-year renewable agreement between Sun Microsystems and a company, organization or individual that allows the latter entities to participate in the Java Community Process.

Java Specification Request (JSR): The document submitted to the PMO by one or more Members to propose the development of a new Specification or significant revision to an existing Specification.

Maintenance Lead (ML): The Expert responsible for maintaining the Specification.

Maintenance Review: A period of at least 30 days prior to finalization of a Minor Revision when Members and the public consider and comment on the change items listed in the PROPOSED section of the Change Log.

Minor Revision: Minor changes made to a Specification by the ML.

Platform Edition Specification (Platform Edition): A Specification that defines a baseline API set that provides a foundation upon which applications, other APIs, and Profiles can be built. There are currently three Platform Edition Specifications: J2SE, J2EE, and J2ME.

Profile Specification (Profile): A Specification that references one of the Platform Edition Specifications and zero or more other JCP Specifications (that are not already a part of a Platform Edition Specification). APIs from the referenced Platform Edition must be included according to the referencing rules set out in that Platform Edition Specification. Other referenced specifications must be referenced in their entirety.

Program Management Office (PMO): The group within Sun Microsystems that is responsible for administering the JCP and chairing the EC.

Proposed Final Draft: The version of the draft Specification that will be used as the basis for the RI and TCK.

Public Draft Specification Approval Ballot: The EC ballot to determine if a revised draft should proceed after Public Review.

Public Review: A 30 to 90 day period when the public can review and comment on the draft Specification.

Qualified Individual: An individual not acting for or on behalf of a legally organized entity that uses the TCK for the purpose of developing and distributing a compatible implementations of a Spec, and that has established to the satisfaction of the Spec Lead, in its reasonable discretion, that such individual is ready to begin testing its credible implementation of the Spec in question.

Qualified Not-for-Profit: A legally organized not-for-profit entity (such as, but not limited to, a "501[c][3]" corporation) that is not effectively controlled by a commercial interest and that uses the TCK for the purpose of developing and distributing a compatible implementation of a Spec.

Ratified Seat: An EC seat filled by the ratification process described in section A.4.2.

Reference Implementation (RI): The prototype or "proof of concept" implementation of a Specification.

Specification Lead (Spec Lead): The Expert responsible for leading the effort to develop or make significant revisions to a Specification and for completing the associated Reference Implementation and Technology Compatibility Kit. A Spec Lead (or their host company or organization) must be a Java Community Process Member.

Technology Compatibility Kit (TCK): The suite of tests, tools, and documentation that allows an implementor of a Specification to determine if their implementation is compliant with that Specification.

Transfer Ballot: The EC ballot to approve transfer of ownership of a Specification, RI, and TCK from one Member to another Member.

Umbrella Java Specification Request (UJSR): A JSR that defines or revises a Platform Edition or Profile Specification. A UJSR proceeds through the JCP like any other JSR.