Becoming a JCP Member | Instructions for organizations | Instructions for Individuals | Submitting the JSPA | JCP Membership Info

• Java Specification Participation Agreement for Individuals (PDF)

One can join the JCP by joining as a company or organization, or by joining as an individual. Aside from the difference in membership fee there are other significant differences that you should consider. Individual membership means that you are joining on personal title, representing yourself and not representing your company or employer. This means for example, that you cannot make contributions on behalf of your company nor can you share with your employer anything that you learned within the JCP.

Individuals may become Members (representing themselves unaffiliated with any company) by doing all of the following:

1. First, download and print the JSPA for individuals.
   
2. On page 1, please write your name on the first blank line.
   
3. On the second blank space, write the date that you are signing the agreement.
   
4. On page 3, put your initials next to "Individual representing self", under Section 3, "Process Cost Sharing". DO NOT put your initials in any other blank in this section.
   
5. On page 10, fill in the blanks under "Member". Sing your name next to "Signature" and print your name legibly next to "Name". "Title" is optional - this refers to your job title, but feel free to leave it blank. "Date" should be the date that you sign the agreement.
   
6. Page 11 is Exhibit A. In Section 1, you must provide your contact information. In section 2, you must provide your postal address under "Corporate Billing Address" though, as an individual, you will not be billed. DO NOT provide your employer's business address.
7. With the completed JSPA, you must submit Exhibit B, filled out by your employer, acknowledging its awareness of your participation in the JCP and the intellectual property rules of the JSPA. The employer need not specify a JSR. Note: If you are self-employed, then you are your employer.
8. Finally, you must confirm that you have read "Corporate vs. Individual Membership", above. An e-mail confirmation sent to pmo@jcp.org will suffice for this.