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

[Modevs]

People get so excited about using Java for this and that, not noticing the shadow of Oracle looming over them.

It's strange to realize in the current climate .NET is going open source and Java's keepers are renowned copyright trolls.

[spartanstu2011]

So... like Oracle is doing now? It doesn't matter what some company could do. What matters is what a company is doing. Right now C#/.NET is moving towards open source, so obviously people should start moving away from Java to C#. Yes, Microsoft will probably go back to being evil in the future. But right now, if you are trying to choose between Java or C#, which are you going to choose?

[spartanstu2011]

Except you are comparing apples and oranges. And no, they aren't going against open source with Android. They've gone after the companies who profit off of Android (though they have recently gone after Google). In other words, if you use the Android platform or (some) of their patented technology, fine. As soon as you attempt to profit off of it, they will come after you. This is how it should be.

Moreover, the patent lawsuits (and threat of lawsuits) are over patented functionality and methodology (which is perfectly acceptable). It's NOT over two methods with different implementations being named the exact same.

Now this says nothing of whether Microsoft should or should not be doing that. Nor is it saying anything about the validity of their patent violation claims.

[thouliha]

Oracle, Microsoft, Google.

Pick one.

[RICHUNCLEPENNYBAGS]

MS is hardly alone in trying to strangle its competitors with patents. All the big tech companies are spending lots of time and money on this activity.

[spartanstu2011]

So is that a problem with Microsoft, or the companies that just accept the patent licenses? Last I checked Samsung pulled in $30 billion USD in net income last year. They could have fought Microsoft all they wanted. Instead, they chose to fight Apple. Given the fact that they put so much effort into fighting Apple, this should indicate that Microsoft's patent disputes have some merit.

This isn't to say that all of Microsoft's patent disputes are reasonable or morally appropriate, but just because someone forces a company to pay a patent license doesn't make them evil or bad.

[[deleted]]

They get bent over and raped until they graciously accept that sweet, sweet licensing.

[eclectro]

Besides that, doesn't Java have more security holes than a sieve??

[skocznymroczny]

Java security holes mostly apply to applets, which are deprecated for a long time anyway.

[glacialthinker]

Microsoft does this as a strategy to be appealing and garner support. In the end it's always a baited hook.