US Court: Google requires license from Oracle to use Java

In a lawsuit between Oracle and Google, a US judge established that Google infringed Oracle’s copyrights by using the Java programming language.  Oracle claimed Google "knowingly, directly and repeatedly infringed Oracle's Java-related intellectual property."

By buying Sun Microsystems in 2010, Oracle acquired the Java programming language. However, in 2006, Sun had released parts of Java as open source software. The problems started when Google announced plans to develop Android in 2007. The implementation of Java by Google is different than the one advised by Java. The same happened when Microsoft followed a similar path with Windows. Oracle argues that Java is a mobile operating system competitor against Android, and that Google is using Java-derived technologies without a proper license.

Google’s motion to resolve the copyright claims in its favor was denied by the US judge. The court ruled that Oracle does have a legitimate claim to copyrights on some parts of the Java language and that Google needs permission to use it. Google attorney Robert Van Nest declared that Oracle submitted a revised damages claim, but it is unclear how much Oracle is claiming.

References: Cnet.com, The Times of India

By: Karen Groen