JBoss this week began shipping a J2EE 1.4-certified open source Java application server, with anyone able to get it for free. Whether they want to pay support costs is up to them.Other free Java application server offerings also are available or planned, such as Jonas. Meanwhile, Sun has been including a lower-end version of its application server within the Solaris operating environment. International Data Corp., in a recent study of the application server market, said JBoss already has changed market dynamics. Although just certified under J2EE, the company has been a player in the market with previous releases of its product. So I have to wonder: if an application server can be acquired for free and is becoming a commodity, what happens to commercial application servers from companies such as BEA Systems and IBM?While these companies can argue that users are getting something more for their money, the prospect of free software has to be enticing. Just ask Linux converts.What will be the fate of these products or even vendors like BEA, which has shown up on Oracle chief Larry Ellison’s acquisition wish list? Worldwide and North American application server revenues were classified as flat for 2003 when compared to 2002, according to the IDC study. It will be interesting to see how much of a commercial application server market there is in a few years or what shape that market takes. Technology Industry