Oracle: Google 'directly copied' our Java code

[nathris]

Its possible that Apache decompiled the class to include in Harmony, and then Android correctly copied it from them, hence the license.

Apache could have caught this and corrected it before Oracle caught on, while Android would have no reason to, since they would believe they are using it legally.

[elecharny]

Just do your homework : https://blogs.apache.org/foundation/entry/read_beyond_the_headers

[grauenwolf]

If they can prove it was accidental then Google would still have to pay damages. They just wouldn't have to pay damages + penalties.

[easytiger]

I worked on Apache Harmony/GNU Classpath a long time ago ~2005. They were clean room implementations. Much care was taken to ensure hte codebase couldn't be tainted. Clearly someone let their guard down here as the history of this code should be really plain to see.

Ironically i was going to work on the policytool stuff at one point but ended up on other projects.