Oracle flexed its technological muscle today and filed a patent infringement suit against Google. The claim is that Google’s Android mobile operating system violates seven of the patents it acquired in its purchase of Sun Microsystems because Android uses the Java software platform as part of its Android platform.
The irony is that it is the ultimate open-source battle. Neither company makes money on their open-source creations. The source code is available for free and developers are free to modify as they please (with minor limitations). Google, as a developer, avoided paying Oracle licensing fees and developed its own software that runs Java-based applications for the Android operating system. I thought this was the mission of the open-source movement – foster technological development, lower costs, and end predatory vendor lock-in.
So what is Larry Ellison thinking? I have no friggin’ idea. Could the growth of Apple and explosive popularity of Android be scaring the geezer? Probably. There is a revolution occuring in computer technology with Apple and Google leading the way. Its business could be struggling from a lack of ingenuity and forward thinking. If you cannot anticipate the future in computers, you can not prepare for the future of computers. Companies like Apple, Google, and Microsoft are creating the future of computers. Oracle may think that it has nothing to lose at this point. However, recall what happened to Java when Sun sued Microsoft for patent infringement in 1997? It took a long time for Sun to recover.
So what does this lawsuit mean for you? First, expect a backlash by software developers. Programmers are the riptide that could drag Oracle under water, bringing Java down with it. If anyone possesses the talent to develop a replacement for the antiquated Java, it is Google. You heard it here first (I think). Second, buy Microsoft. Third, buy Microsoft. Why?
Remember that riptide? While this case is pending, many developers and customers will worry about the fate of Android and its impact on devices . . . and their bottom line. This could lead to a migration to Microsoft’s .NET system, which was effectively created in response to the Sun lawsuit. The .NET system might not be open-source, but its global reach and secure legal status make it an attractive platform. Although I am not a programmer, my impression is that .NET offers a superior platform. I’m just saying.
