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What's the worse case scenario in this dispute? I'm sure Oracle just wants money, but could they legally prevent Google from using Java entirely? I can hardly i

• aeturnum 14y ago
  From my superficial understanding, the direct result of this lawsuit affects only Google and Oracle and is only over money. Android will keep using Java (perhaps with a fee of some sort). There may be repercussions from the decision in other ways, but if you're an Android dev I don't think you need to worry.
• ChuckMcM 14y ago
  The worst case scenario is that the court finds, and it is upheld on appeal, that you can copyright the names of API calls, the number of arguments to those API calls, and the types associated with those arguments. In that scenario Novell would own the copyrights to things like read(int fd, char *buf, int size); and could sue you if you used them without compensation to Novell. Now that would be hugely disruptive and counter to a lot of existing case law in adjacent areas, perhaps the most directly applicable are Memorex vs IBM in the 70's with regard to making 'plug compatible' storage devices. Memorex made a compatible "DASD" (Direct Access Storage Devices, otherwise known as a hard disk) product and sold it to people who had IBM mainframes. IBM sued, Memorex counter sued, eventually Memorex prevailed and removed the threat of litigation over people whole made 'third party' add-ons. I don't think this case will try to contravene that case law but you did ask for the 'worst case' :-)
• deleted 14y ago
  [deleted]
• ajross 14y ago
  Oracle doesn't want to kill Android, they just want a cut of Google's revenue. The worst case scenario is that Google has to write them a big check.