Oracle sues Google over Android

[maflynn]

Didn't see this one coming. I guess google didn't do their homework when they decided to alter java for their own purposes.

If this is a big deal, it will take years to sort out. Mostly likely google will pony up some serious dough oracle to make this thing go away.

 

[spaceballl]

I'm sure Oracle will get some cash out of this... I mean... their business model is pretty much everything EXCEPT selling software... mostly just maintenance fees on old customers they ripped off!

 

[vincenz]

Another great article about Mac rumors.

 

[SnowLeopard2008]

It's one thing to suck really bad (Android) but another to steal. How the heck do you steal and suck really bad at the same time? I hope Oracle wins this lawsuit.

 

[maflynn]

I'm not sure if this was already thought of, but Ellison is a good friend of Jobs. Do you think he just threw him a bone by suing google.

 

[Warbrain]

It's one thing to suck really bad (Android) but another to steal. How the heck do you steal and suck really bad at the same time? I hope Oracle wins this lawsuit.

It's not that they explicitly stole anything but they likely implemented their own flavor of Java back when Sun controlled Java and didn't give a ****.

I'm not sure if this was already thought of, but Ellison is a good friend of Jobs. Do you think he just threw him a bone by suing google.

Larry Ellison only cares for himself.

 

[parapup]

The problem is that if Oracle wins, everybody who uses Java looses....

I teach basic IP law and this is not good. Software patents are a very, very bad thing.

I have no love for Google or Oracle but once something like this sets a precedence its very bad..

Yep. Even the fact that Oracle is willing to sue over Java sets a very bad precedent for the uptake of the language.

It remains to be seen how much validity the patents in question have.

 

[Stella]

Excellent. Now we can all stop using Java.

What do you have against Java?

It is used very frequently for server side applications ( i.e., driving web sites etc ) , phones and in some cross platform desktop applications.

Didn't see this one coming. I guess google didn't do their homework when they decided to alter java for their own purposes.

If this is a big deal, it will take years to sort out. Mostly likely google will pony up some serious dough oracle to make this thing go away.

Google made this decision before Oracle took over Sun. They [ Google ] didn't want to pay license fees to Sun.

I'm sure Oracle will get some cash out of this... I mean... their business model is pretty much everything EXCEPT selling software... mostly just maintenance fees on old customers they ripped off!

Ever heard of Oracle database? Oracle provide more services and software than you probably realize!

 

[Warbrain]

Yep. Even the fact that Oracle is willing to sue over Java sets a very bad precedent for the uptake of the language.

It remains to be seen how much validity the patents in question have.

Anything to prevent further adoption of Java is a good thing.

 

[netsql]

short story

I know something about this.
Java is owned by Sun.
Apache Software Foundation "ported" Java as Harmony.
Google ported Harmony as Android.

Seems to me Apache Software Foundation is in the middle.

 

[Analog Kid]

This is kind of what I feared with Oracle buying Sun. MySQL next?

Not sure what Oracle gains from this, except possible license fees which I have to think are peanuts compared to their core businesses. Then again, I'm not really sure what they gained from acquiring Sun in the first place, so maybe this was the plan all along.

This kind of hurts the image of Java though, I think. People will be much less willing to deploy on Java if they think there's a lawsuit around the corner.

 

[cybaster]

Anything to prevent further adoption of Java is a good thing.

I am not a fan of Java's "traditional" motto: write once, debug....errr run everywhere

but in a way this lawsuit also suck balls..... I know that Sun did not do enough to protect their IP but what Oracle is doing really is patent trolling.....

I mean is it really just coincidence that this occurs NOW?

 

[dmelgar]

I wonder how IBM views this. Oracle locking down Java cannot be a good thing. Practically all of IBM's software is written in Java. If Oracle intends to patent troll the language, its no longer open, no longer something of general interest. IBM must feel exposed that they didn't buy Sun.

 

[VenusianSky]

So that's why Oracle purchased Sun Microsystems.

I wonder how IBM views this. Oracle locking down Java cannot be a good thing. Practically all of IBM's software is written in Java. If Oracle intends to patent troll the language, its no longer open, no longer something of general interest. IBM must feel exposed that they didn't buy Sun.

I would have to believe that IBM licensed Java.

 

[lkrupp]

Damn, I had no idea that Oracle owned Sun Microsystems, and therefore Java!

So is their gripe that Google merely used java?

Is this just patent trolling?

And not only does Oracle now own Sun/Java but Oracle CEO Larry Ellison considers Steve Jobs to be his best friend. Makes for interesting conspiracy theories doesn't it.

 

[RalfTheDog]

From what I remember from the Sun/Microsoft lawsuit, Sun's license lets you use Java all you want, but you must use Sun's Java. Sun did not want Java to fragment, so they launched a lawsuit against Microsoft requiring them to follow Sun's standards.

If Oracle is suing Google, it is probably because they created their own fragmented version of Java. I would not be surprised if they also ran fragmented Java code on their search servers.

 

[lkrupp]

Oracle sucks soooo bad. Must need some revenue. Seems like all their licensing income would be enough...guess not.

You have no idea what you are talking about.

 

[RalfTheDog]

Damn, I had no idea that Oracle owned Sun Microsystems, and therefore Java!

So is their gripe that Google merely used java?

Is this just patent trolling?

They also own MySQL.

 

[reden]

I remember reading an article where it mentions Steve jobs is best friends with Larry Ellison, Oracle's CEO. This might have something to do with it.

Here we go:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/01/14/MNGS649LVB1.DTL

 

[cantthinkofone]

Not sure what you mean. I don't like Oracle, but they sure've been quite successful.

Just a small vent. I used Oracle everyday, all day for about a year. Times I was ready to walk to and put my foot through the server that was hosting my current login.

 

[Stella]

I wonder how IBM views this. Oracle locking down Java cannot be a good thing. Practically all of IBM's software is written in Java. If Oracle intends to patent troll the language, its no longer open, no longer something of general interest. IBM must feel exposed that they didn't buy Sun.

Isn't it because Google are using a non Oracle/Sun JVM - Dalvik VM ? IBM do have their own JVM - but isn't that licensed?

I doubt Oracle are going to sue other companies if they are using the official Oracle JVM... Oracle need Java to flourish.

 

[Warbrain]

I am not a fan of Java's "traditional" motto: write once, debug....errr run everywhere

but in a way this lawsuit also suck balls..... I know that Sun did not do enough to protect their IP but what Oracle is doing really is patent trolling.....

I mean is it really just coincidence that this occurs NOW?

Java, to me, is a step below Flash. I hated writing Java code. Easily the worst experience I've ever had.

I wonder how IBM views this. Oracle locking down Java cannot be a good thing. Practically all of IBM's software is written in Java. If Oracle intends to patent troll the language, its no longer open, no longer something of general interest. IBM must feel exposed that they didn't buy Sun.

I'm sure IBM had enough sense to work with Sun on an agreement.

From what I remember from the Sun/Microsoft lawsuit, Sun's license lets you use Java all you want, but you must use Sun's Java. Sun did not want Java to fragment, so they launched a lawsuit against Microsoft requiring them to follow Sun's standards.

If Oracle is suing Google, it is probably because they created their own fragmented version of Java. I would not be surprised if they also ran fragmented Java code on their search servers.

This is exactly what's happened. Google made their own variant of Java for Android.

 

[tkatz]

Well, if anything you stay away from Oracle **** because everything they make is awful.

Please explain.

I administer a few oracle databases and have no problem with their software.

Some of it may not be the friendliest in the world to use but it gets the job done, and quite well I may add.

I wouldn't call any of it "awful".

 

[Warbrain]

I remember reading an article where it mentions Steve jobs is best friends with Larry Ellison, Oracle's CEO. This might have something to do with it.

Here we go:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/01/14/MNGS649LVB1.DTL

Keep trollin'

Just a small vent. I used Oracle everyday, all day for about a year. Times I was ready to walk to and put my foot through the server that was hosting my current login.

So you mean those days where I detest Siebel are normal?

 

[parapup]

Anything to prevent further adoption of Java is a good thing.

Thank you for your insight. Do you work for Microsoft or Apple? Where do you get this insight from? I envy you.