While Google Android smartphone sales may have passed the iPhone worldwide within the second quarter of 2010, it doesn’t take an Oracle to see that there’s trouble ahead for the company whose unofficial motto is “Do no evil.”. As outlined by the Wall Street Journal, the Android OS violates Oracle’s Java copyrights which is why Oracle Corp. is suing Google Inc.. The lawsuit pits Oracle CEO Larry Ellison against Google founder Eric Schmidt, a previous Sun chief technology officer. Oracle acquired Sun, the company that invented the Java programming language, in January 2010. Hundreds of devices use Java, such as the Android Smartphone’s.
Seeking for damages in Oracle lawsuit
WSJ explains that the Oracle lawsuit would like “unspecific damages and an injunction against ‘continued acts of infringement’ by Google.” Google has not officially responded to Oracle’s lawsuit yet, but it had been widely assumed that it was allowed to use free open-source Java licenses, as Sun traditionally authorized use of such licenses. However, no licensing deal between Oracle and Google had been officially announced. If an injunction against Google is granted by the presiding California court, developers would be barred from creating applications for Android OS and shipments of Android phones would come to a halt.
Guarding all of your intellectual property
The Journal interviewed tech analyst Ray Wang who said the Oracle “takes a lot more care in terms of guarding its IP, and Java is one of the crown jewels of the Sun acquisition,” although Sun would traditionally be respectful of open-source software and free exchange of ideas. PC World thinks the Oracle is scared because if its tax evasion which is why it needs its IP. Now that the company is rivaling Google instead of Microsoft, a court system is looked to in order to get some more money flowing in.
PC World
pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/203336/oracles_fall_from_tech_giant_to_patent_troll.html?tk=hp_new
Wall Street Journal
online.wsj.com/article/NA_WSJ_PUB:SB10001424052748704407804575426122820659864.html
“Trade the Trend” report on the Oracle-Google lawsuit
youtube.com/watch?v=ooYOG00oXpY
