Oracle Sues Google Over Android

On Aug 12 Oracle filed a complaint against Google for patent and copyright infringement.

The topic came up in discussion at last night's RJUG social at the Capital Ale House. (Thanks all for attending & thanks once again to UDig and Fahernheight for sponsoring. It was a great time and many interesting conversations went on, maybe we should do this more often...)

Here's the quote "In developing Android, Google knowingly, directly and repeatedly infringed Oracle's Java-related intellectual property."

Oracle claims that Android competes with Java as “an operating system software platform for cellular telephones and other mobile devices” and that the Android stack employs Java apps running on a Java-based framework, Oracle wants to see some cash for its involvement in the mobile OS’s success. Oracle is asking that all copies of Java-related work be “impounded and destroyed or otherwise reasonably disposed of.”

Google's Android OS runs a Dalvik Virtual Machine, which relies on Java software. But Dalvik is not a Java VM. Dalvik executes dex bytecode [not Java bytecode]. There are differences in the structure of Dalvik class files as compared to Java class files." PCWorld reports.

Additionally, Sun did release Java under the GPL so what is the issue? It is speculated that the lawsuit may be Oracle's attempt to make inroads into the mobile market.

Here are some links:

• The Oracle-Google Patent Lawsuit Demystified (theServerSide)

• Why Oracle and Not Sun? (ZD Net)

• Oracle v. Google: Far-Reaching Implications (PC World)
• Update: Oracle Sues Google Over Java Use in Android (ComputerWorld)