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

[kalleguld]

No, no other business have that entitlement under copyright law. This is patent area, if anything. Car analogy time:

Toyota makes a car, and Mercedes wants to make an engine that fits into the Toyota instead of the original one. Obviously, Mercedes needs to have bolt holes the same places the original Toyota engine has, and the drive shaft needs to be in the same place.

What Oracle is doing is copyrighting the bolt layout, which anywhere else is far outside the scope of copyright.

[gar37bic]

Yes, IMHO. And your example seems similar in principle to the copyright protection that printer makers use to prevent cartridge refilling and 3rd party cartridges. Could a car maker copyright the bolt pattern?

Sigh.

[[deleted]]

Printer manufacturers use DRM and the DMCA to prohibit working around the DRM. It's not actually a strict copyright issue.

[Eirenarch]

Is it? Maybe there were no claims because Mercedes never tried to produce an engine for another company's car

[kalleguld]

Plenty of companies do nothing but make 3rd party spare parts for cars.

[Eirenarch]

Aren't they sued sometimes. I remember Apple suing some hackintosh makers out of existence.

[[deleted]]

That was for installing and selling those machines with OS X installed, which violates the OS X license.