On Aug 5, 11:26 pm, Casper Bang <[email protected]> wrote: > > Frankly speaking, the easiest thing that Google could to today is paying > > some money to Oracle and not change anything else. At this point to me > > it's clear that Google made a huge mistake in not being able to forecast > > where Java would land after the fall of Sun. > > But pay money for what exactly? Android does not fit within the Sun/ > Oracle defined Java containers. And how would the platform remain free > if guys like Cyanogen could not grab the pieces and throw on a custom > device? Google reaching safe haven is not the full story here, more > seems at stake.
Android apps have taken off because lots of people knew Java, and Google made it easy for people to write and publish apps in Java. The crux of the matter is around the remaining patents in play at court (I'm not thinking about the copyright violation issue right now around duplication of test code in the Apache VM). If they are language based... well Google has to settle or switch language. If I were them I'd be looking at new languages and not (for example) C# - so either one of their own, or a functional language, that existing developers can move to, whilst Google avoids the patent issue (think Groovy, for example). If they are VM based then Google might be able to stick with the language syntax and create a modified VM to avoid the patents at issue. However in the long haul this can only be viewed as a stay of execution. I'd expect the fight to continue as long as Oracle and Google are at odds. I still think, and this was my view when I was listening to Oracle present at Devoxx last year, that the best solution for all involved (that is, Oracle, Google, the Android phone manufacturers and the application developers) is one where Oracle and Google settle. Oracle need a relevant desktop platform for Java, and this has been defined for them, and made successful, by Google. Google need to stabilise the Android situation before manufacturers start getting cold feet (a phone or tablet is after all is just a computer and can as easily run Windows Phone 7 as it can Android), and so settling with Oracle would be a significant step in that direction. If Oracle and Google continue to bicker and posture, there is a danger that the recently suggested pincer movement by (primarily) Apple and Microsoft - http://gizmodo.com/5826915/is-android-about-to-get-crushed - will gain momentum - and this would be bad for Google and, indirectly, Oracle. If Google and Oracle can settle their differences then it becomes in Oracles's interest to side with Google. BTW has anybody noticed that Oracle and Google are both premium partners at Devoxx this year? -- 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.
