[dundee] Oracle, Google and the Android code

[Robert Ladyman]

This article:- 

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/02/23/oracle_claims_google_copied_hundreds_of_java_files/

Contains a comparison image of Oracle's claimed code and some code in Android

http://regmedia.co.uk/2010/10/28/oracle_google_code_comparison_large.png

Have a good look at it before you move on - it's not that long....
...
...

OK, are you ready?


Oracle alleges that the Google code is a copy of their code with comments 
removed and at first glance, it appears that way: HOWEVER, if you search for 
"private static final String ANY_POLICY = 2.5.29.32.0 " you'll get (amongst 
other links):-

http://www.java2s.com/Open-Source/Java-Document/6.0-JDK-Modules-
sun/security/sun/security/provider/certpath/PolicyNodeImpl.java.htm


Which clearly shows the code (in my opinion) being referenced by Oracle but 
with the header comments INCLUDED, which starts:

" * Copyright 2000-2006 Sun Microsystems, Inc.  All Rights Reserved.
003:         * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
004:         *
005:         * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or 
modify it
006:         * under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 
only, as.
...."

From what I can see, either Oracle has deliberately misrepresented the code by 
"removing comments" (from *both* files, I would guess), which comments 
indicate that the code is under the GPL in which case the GPL gets its day in 
court with Google defending it (in effect) OR (possibly and/or) Google didn't 
include the header in their code which means that they might have violated the 
GPL, Oracle can use that violation and the GPL gets its day in court with 
Oracle defending it.

We might at last get to see the GPL tried out in court - as both parties 
appear to have plenty of money and look like they want to fight it out.

As an aside - is the code for PolicyNodeImpl available to any of the Android 
developers on the list: can you see if it has any attributions / GPL headers?


-- 
Robert Ladyman
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