Archive for: java
The ongoing Google vs. Oracle case was just dealt a serious victory/setback depending on which camp you cheer for. If you recall, Oracle sued Google for pretty much everything under the sun with claims of $100+ million being tossed around. The presiding judge, Hon. William, has ordered both companies to cut back their claims/defenses from 132 to 3, and told Oracle that the tossed out claims can never be tried again.
Currently, there are 132 claims from seven patents asserted in this action, and there are hundreds of prior art references in play for invalidity defenses. This is too much. The following schedule will ensure that only a triable number of these items — three claims and eight prior art references — are placed before the jury in October, all others to be forsaken. Oracle will surrender all of its present infringement claims against Google based on the 129 asserted claims that will not be tried. Oracle may not renew those infringement claims in a subsequent action except as to new products.
Because of that, William has asked both companies whether or not the lawsuit is worth pursuing in this severely reduced state. And considering how little Oracle could win here, we see the judge’s point. Google just got lucky.
The we had earlier concerning some pretty embarrassing examples of proprietary Oracle source code residing within Android source files may not be as serious or damaging as once thought. But Ars Technica’s Ryan Paul highlights that (1) the source code brought up by open source enthusiast and tech patent lawyer, Florian Mueller, is from a third party entity that included in Android’s Open Source Project repository. Second, much of the code in question is available from Sun’s website free of charge. With both of those points highlighted, the previous “wow factor” is quite as astonishing. Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see how it affects the current, ongoing lawsuit between Google and Oracle.
Be sure to check out Ars Technica’s full, detailed explanation on the matter.
- January 21, 2011 11:34 am
It’s a bad day to be a Google and avid Android distributor (such as your typical cellular carrier), as tech patent aficionado Florian Mueller, has found some rather startling finds whilst trudging through mountains of Android source code. In relation to the ongoing Oracle/Google lawsuit involving Android and it’s apparent patent infringement of Java, Mueller has found 37 Android source files contain blatantly stolen code from Oracle as they are labeled with:
PROPRIETARY / CONFIDENTIAL” and “DO NOT DISTRIBUTE” by Oracle / Sun
Google obviously already knows the code is there. The carriers and other distributors of Android devices, however, aren’t likely to be all that thrilled. Let us not forget that Motorola and HTC have already been hit with patent infringement lawsuits for some of Android’s (and Google’s) little Java-copying issue. Looks like Google’s defense just got a much heavier load to pull…
The web was up in arms yesterday over a statement on an updated Apple Developer Documentation detailing how Java on OS X would be deprecated (read: outdated, with the ceasing of updates) moving forward. Naturally, with countless Java-based programs already deployed for OS X, the associated Java-developers were concerned. Almost instantaneously, rumors started circulating as to the cause of the decision, with reasonings ranging from keeping Java apps out of the new Mac store to Apple just being Apple.
But a clearer picture is forming. A concerned developer, Scott Fraser, from Portico Systems fired off an email to Steve Jobs concerning the issue at hand, to which Steve replied with the following:
“Sun (now Oracle) supplies Java for all other platforms,” Jobs replied. “They have their own release schedules, which are almost always different than ours, so the Java we ship is always a version behind. This may not be the best way to do it
Fair enough. It sounds harmless. Are your nerves calmed, or do you have conspiracy theories still flinging around in your cranium?
For the full email, check out Scott Fraser’s Flickr account.
Still helplessly holding onto any hope that Steve Jobs would relent and let Flash on the iPhone platform? Just give it up now. It’s not ever going to happen. This is of course based off of an official “Fireside chat” of sorts put out by Steve himself.
Truth be told, it’s not as vindictive and cut throat as I thought a letter concerning such a matter would be. It is very straight to the point, bulleted list type of affair laying out how it’s going to be. If you’ve got a few (it’s long), please hang by a bit longer and give Steve’s response to the Adobe/Apple drama a through reading. It’s kinda of weird though, hearing Steve Jobs — leader of one of the most closed and proprietary companies — pushing for more open web standards. Oh well. It’s interesting none the less.
Get out your popcorn folks and stroll on in…
Make no mistake, RIM’s current BlackBerry browser sucks and sucks big time. It’s always sucked. Those who disagree obviously aren’t using the internet as it was meant to be used — flash, javascript, ajax, and so on. Flash is still a sticking point for many other mobile browsers in the market but the rest of that list is a rather common affair now.
After acquiring Torch Mobile last year, rumors and speculation of a completely revamped BlackBerry browser almost immediately began. After a solid two years of complaints centering around the archaic browser, it seemed RIM had finally opened up their ears to their customers. So what’s the current status on this new browser?
The latest info we’ve heard has the browser being completely re-developed from the ground up and based on Webkit — a far cry from the POS Java relic BB’s currently run. RIM is gunning to take it even further than “just a webkit” browser however. Previously leaked documents and other claims from various sources have RIM tightly integrating their BIS/BES services and server side technology into the mix (which any Opera Mini users should know…) greatly speeds up browsing speeds, rending accuracy, and manages to drastically cut down on bandwidth.
RIM is pretty damn good at doing some big things over limited bandwidth allotments so this frankenstein browser has to be good.
Even though I don’t use a BlackBerry day to day, I have connections and Berry’s available to test if need be. This new uber BlackBerry browser will certainly be one of the biggest updates for the BlackBerry OS in recent memory (if ever). Keep checking back for more info as the story develops.
Think RIM’s hybrid webkit/server cached browser combo will jump ahead of the competition (read: Android and iPhone browsers)?
Electronista
[Image Source]
- October 21, 2009 12:39 pm
Spend any time surfing the mobile web? If you do so using a BlackBerry of any type, I’m sure you know the utter catastrophe that unfurls before your eyes each and every time you try to navigate to the web page of your choice. 3rd party solutions such as Opera mini and Bolt have until now given us worthwhile solutions that make browsing an outright joy. Still, in the age of the mobile internet, having your own slam dunk browser is key. Look no further than Mobile Safari on the iPhone and the reworked Android browser on the upcoming Verizon DROID. The muscle behind these champion browsers is none other than webkit. Why RIM has taken so long to make their way from the archaic Java based browser to modern web tools is beyond me.
Salvation is thankfully coming. RIM’s recent acquisition of Torch mobile, a webkit based mobile browser company and now a recent LinkedIn job posting (pictured above), clearly show RIM is finally understanding that webkit is where it’s at. Do you think their late entrance into the webkit arena hampered their BlackBerry uptake in the consumer market — you know, with such emphasis on the mobile internet and such? Or do you think they’re doing just fine and can look forward to even more growth once an updated, webkit browser gets released?
Ubergizmo > IntoMobile
