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So? The proper response would have been for Google to either pay the license or develop their own write once use anywhere software. Instead, the took the short

So? The proper response would have been for Google to either pay the license or develop their own write once use anywhere software. Instead, the took the shortcut of copying someone's hard work.

Ajedi32 9y ago
By that logic WINE shouldn't be allowed to exist either, since it copies Windows' API. Copying APIs is strictly necessary for interoperability. Allowing APIs to be copyrightable encourages monopolies by legally prohibiting newcomers' software from being compatible with their competition. It'd be like if Microsoft were allowed to sue Google Docs and Libreoffice for making their software able to open Word documents. (Except in this case the "documents" are source code.)
- hcknwscommenter 9y ago
  I'm not sure how WINE works. But I just don't see that being the case. All WINE has to do is capture the API calls and transform them into a different WINE API call that ends up performing the same function and then proceed with zero copyright issues.
  - lmm 9y ago
    > All WINE has to do is capture the API calls and transform them into a different WINE API call that ends up performing the same function How can it "capture" the calls without knowing what it's capturing? It has to know that there's a windows API function called "CreateWindowEx" that takes particular parameters, otherwise how could it possibly "translate" it? And the fact that CreateWindowEx takes particular parameters is precisely the API. Of course the implementation of that API will be different in WINE, just as Google's implementations of the Java API are different from Sun's (aside from the 9-line rangeCheck which is a separate issue). In fact it would be fair to describe what Android does as "capture the API calls and transform them into a different Dalvik API call that ends up performing the same function".
  - Ajedi32 9y ago
    > All WINE has to do is capture the [Windows] API calls So... you're saying it needs to implement the Windows API? If APIs are copyrightable, then that's a violation of Microsoft's copyright. You've included a copy of Windows' API in WINE.
chii 9y ago
Interoperability trumps copyright IMHO.
- stjohnswarts 9y ago
  Unfortunately courts don't pay attention to your opinion. They only pay attention to grumpy old codgers who don't really understand technology or innovation. They only understand precendents or long ago useless decisions of previous courts and the pragmatism of someone raised on thoughts on computers and ideas of fairness from the 1950s.

So? The proper response would have been for Google to either pay the license or develop their own write once use anywhere software. Instead, the took the shortcut of copying someone's hard work.

Ajedi32 9y ago

By that logic WINE shouldn't be allowed to exist either, since it copies Windows' API. Copying APIs is strictly necessary for interoperability. Allowing APIs to be copyrightable encourages monopolies by legally prohibiting newcomers' software from being compatible with their competition. It'd be like if Microsoft were allowed to sue Google Docs and Libreoffice for making their software able to open Word documents. (Except in this case the "documents" are source code.)

hcknwscommenter 9y ago
I'm not sure how WINE works. But I just don't see that being the case. All WINE has to do is capture the API calls and transform them into a different WINE API call that ends up performing the same function and then proceed with zero copyright issues.
- lmm 9y ago
  > All WINE has to do is capture the API calls and transform them into a different WINE API call that ends up performing the same function How can it "capture" the calls without knowing what it's capturing? It has to know that there's a windows API function called "CreateWindowEx" that takes particular parameters, otherwise how could it possibly "translate" it? And the fact that CreateWindowEx takes particular parameters is precisely the API. Of course the implementation of that API will be different in WINE, just as Google's implementations of the Java API are different from Sun's (aside from the 9-line rangeCheck which is a separate issue). In fact it would be fair to describe what Android does as "capture the API calls and transform them into a different Dalvik API call that ends up performing the same function".
- Ajedi32 9y ago
  > All WINE has to do is capture the [Windows] API calls So... you're saying it needs to implement the Windows API? If APIs are copyrightable, then that's a violation of Microsoft's copyright. You've included a copy of Windows' API in WINE.

chii 9y ago

Interoperability trumps copyright IMHO.

stjohnswarts 9y ago
Unfortunately courts don't pay attention to your opinion. They only pay attention to grumpy old codgers who don't really understand technology or innovation. They only understand precendents or long ago useless decisions of previous courts and the pragmatism of someone raised on thoughts on computers and ideas of fairness from the 1950s.