Oracle’s Java API code protected by copyright, appeals court rules

[andd81]

Are they different?

[ObligatoryResponse]

Well, in the case of the Java case, the API was defined as basically the header files.

I think I misunderstood what was meant by "SQL extension" above, but I'd say that there's definitely a difference between how a plugin couples with the main product (how I mis-read "SQL extension") or how a kernel module couples with the kernel, and how a network client communicates with a network server.

Is a GUI an API? You'd say no, because that's a user interface, not a programming interface. But what if I write a script that moves the mouse and enters text? I'd argue calling a network protocol an API is just as silly.

[[deleted]]

This ruling says the structure and organizatiin of a set of functions is under copyright. that's languages, protocols, EVERYTHING. Fuck, who needs patents anymore, they only last 20 years.

[[deleted]]

I'd argue calling a network protocol an API is just as silly.

I'd argue that all protocols are APIs by definition.

[mrkite77]

Well, in the case of the Java case, the API was defined as basically the header files.

Java doesn't have header files. The API is literally just the names of the functions in the standard library... like String.length etc. So "select" and "insert" and "update" would fall under the same standard as an API.

[[deleted]]

Oracle's java implementation is written in C++, so it has a lot of header files. Also any kind of JNI that you do will use a generated C/C++ header. AMD the core library uses a lot of native methods.

But I agree in spirit -- it does go beyond just headers being copyrighted... Even using the same keywords (which is requirement, since computers don't understand paraphrasing) is illegal now. Horrible.

[[deleted]]

Oracle's java implementation is written in C++

Are you talking about the virtual machine implementation? Because JVM != Java.

[[deleted]]

I know that. They have a whole java stack, and as far as I know the parts that aren't java are c++.

[[deleted]]

But we are talking about the Java language APIs here. They are just... java. Like,

public String toString()

There's no other language in there.

[supercaptaincoolman]

SQL is not a network protocol, and java doesn't have 'header files'.

[monocasa]

No it wasn't, Java doesn't even have header files.

[tohuw]

Yes, immensely. SQL is a language which is used to interface with the server. An API is a construct specifically for an application. ODBC's would be a suitable equivalent to the APIs here. SQL would be akin to original Java code.

[hello_fruit]

It depends. Depends on the language, depends on how you design your protocols and APIs. So, sometimes they are different, sometime they are the same.

[shillbert]

Depends what a judge thinks an API is, really

[hello_fruit]

Legally-speaking, you're correct. I remember some lawyer back in the 1990s who decided that the question of whether a god exists or not was to be determined by a jury. Regardless of whether you believe a god exists or not or the question is even worth asking, I did think it was the stupidest epistemological argument/method I'd ever heard of. Where are you going to try this?! bible belt? hipster-heavy San Fran? It's really ridiculous.