Obsolete Classification

An interface no longer in general use. An existing interface can be downgraded from some other status (such as Public or Standard) to Obsolete through a standard program to communicate the change in commitment to customers.

A change in commitment requires one year's notice to the customer base and the Sun product development community of the intended obsoleting of the interface. A full year must elapse before delivering a product that contains a change incompatible with the present status of the interface.

Acceptable ways to notify customers includes letters to customers on support contracts, release notes or product documentation, or announcements to customer forums appropriate for the interface in question.

The notice of obsolescence is considered to be "public" information in that it is freely available to the customers. This should not require specific actions to "publish" the information, such as press releases or similar forms of publicity.