An anonymous reader writes: The Android operating system uses Java both in its software development kit and a Java-like virtual machine, called Dalvik, in the runtime environment. It is both the SDK and Dalvik that Sun targeted with its suit, claiming that they infringed Sun's patents. Sun also claims that Google has infringed its trademarks, including code and documentation.
Ironically, Google chief executive Eric Schmidt was formerly chief technical officer at Sun, where has credited with helping lead the development of the Java programming language. He even receives a credit in the Java specification itself for "technical assistance and advice".
AND the thing we all wonder about:
"Sun released their 'free java' source code under the GPLv2 to both win the free software crowd and capture peripheral innovation and bug fixing from the community," Mazzocchi wrote. "For the java standard edition (aka 'the cat is out of the bag') there is an exception to the GPLv2 that makes it "reciprocal" only for the Java platform code itself but not for the user code running on it (or most people wouldn't even dare touching it with a pole).
"But such exception to the GPLv2 is not there for the mobile edition (aka 'where the money is')," Mazzocchi added.
"This brilliant move allows Sun to play 'free software paladin' on one hand and still enjoy complete control of the licensing and income creation for the Java ME platform on mobile and embedded devices on the other (because cell phone makers would rather pay than being forced to release all their code that runs on the phone under the GPLv2 or, in many cases, they can't even if they wanted to as they don't own the entire software stack)," Mazzocchi concluded.
Dear Slashdotters, Did Google anticipate that and base their Java implementation on the GPLed version?