-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 On 9/9/10 14:21 , Casper Bang wrote: > "We are collecting information about the case, including > information about prior art that could be used to attack the > patents": http://www.fsf.org/news/oracle-v-google > One interesting point, one FUD, one wrong fact, one arguable point and one laughable point. In order:
************ And they could have avoided all this by building Android on top of IcedTea <http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/java-trap.html>, a GPL-covered Java implementation based on Sun's original code, instead of an independent implementation under the Apache License. The GPL is designed to protect everyone's freedom?from each individual user up to the largest corporations?and it could've provided a strong defense against Oracle's attacks. It's sad to see that Google apparently shunned those protections in order to make proprietary software development easier on Android. *** This seems to confirm the GPL-protection-against-patents thing that was raised a few days after the initial announcements. While I'd have appreciated one more explicit statement, FSF seems to confirm that GPL-based Java implementations can't be attacked by patents. ************ Programmers will justifiably steer clear of Java when they stand to be sued if they use it in some way that Oracle doesn't like. *** This is FUD, especially considering the previous point. It seems that Oracle can sue people for some limited cases, not for general-purpose Java usage (which is what 99% of the programmers do). And if you're using a GPL version of Java, you're always safe. ************ One of the great benefits of free software is that it allows programs to be combined in ways that none of the original developers would've anticipated, to create something new and exciting. *** It's untrue, as you can't combine GPLv2 together with Apache stuff. Freedom exists, but it's always limited in some way. ************ Oracle once claimed that it only sought software patents for defensive purposes. Now it is using them to proactively attack free software. *** It's arguable that Oracle is attacking. They could say that the attack was initiated by Google when it released Android, and that Sun was just unable to react. ************ You can remind him [Larry Ellison] about the statements Oracle made in 1994, like this one [a statement against software patents]: *** This is laughable. Accusing somebody of changing his mind after *sixteen* years... - -- Fabrizio Giudici - Java Architect, Project Manager Tidalwave s.a.s. - "We make Java work. Everywhere." java.net/blog/fabriziogiudici - www.tidalwave.it/people [email protected] -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG/MacGPG2 v2.0.14 (Darwin) Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - http://enigmail.mozdev.org/ iEYEARECAAYFAkyI2MEACgkQeDweFqgUGxcVagCggWGW6ry1RmC01qkbjsYeHZYT kMwAn2o3hRnK49krjpqN2eqMONdPOJ/U =RGyX -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Java Posse" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/javaposse?hl=en.
