The reason Java is no longer a system-wide framework, and the assumption that it is has to change, has nothing to do with the recent shift from a semi-free/semi-paid JDK to a 100% free one, and everything to do with the fact that the entire software ecosystem has changed and Java must change with it. Desktop OSes encourage the app store model, and people deploy server applications in containers; neither of these is particularly hospitable to a system-wide runtime. The majority of both developers and end-users prefer a bundled deployment model that fits better with the current software environment (and also gives developer better control over their application's dependencies). If Oracle were to support popular deployment options as well as those that were popular years ago but some people still like, it would come at the expense of other things, like moving the platform forward.