Re: The GPL and Patents: ROFL

[Hyman Rosen]

On 8/13/2010 6:03 AM, RJack wrote:
> How 'bout some GPL'd Java code for *your* operating system?
>
> "Oracle Corp. filed a lawsuit against Google Inc. on Thursday, alleging
> that the Internet search giant has infringed on intellectual property
> related to the Java software that Oracle acquired when it purchased Sun
> Microsystems Inc."
>
> http://www.marketwatch.com/story/oracle-sues-google-for-patent-infringement-2010-08-12?reflink=MW_news_stmp
>
> Didn't Sun Microsystems release Java under the GPL?
> http://www.fsf.org/news/fsf-welcomes-gpl-java.html
>
> Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeah! The GPL will relieve the world of evil software patents.

Of course, it was anti-GPL cranks who mocked Richard Stallman when he
wrote about "The Java Trap", <http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/java-trap.html>.
As usual, he was prescient. That page now has a note pointing out that Sun
released some but not all of its Java sources under the GPL, so care is
still required when using Java in free software.

If the patents involved were part of the GPL release, Google will raise that
as a defense, accusing Oracle of promissory estoppel.