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Ok, I don't get it. What does "Oracle owns Java" mean?

Google is definitely using Java in Google App Engine, does that mean that Google have to pay Oracle for doing so?

Anto
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Pacerier
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  • may be google used java in early time, but java cannot scale to something big as google, defintly they have proper languages and tools that are not revealed to the public – Erwin Draconis May 18 '21 at 09:24

3 Answers3

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Sun Microsystems created Java. Oracle bought Sun, and thus they became the owners of Java. Java (JVM and JDK) is open source, and you are free to use it. This is under the GPL though, and if they do any changes to the actual JVM or JDK, they will have to release those changes. I'm not aware how App Engine works, and why Google would be in trouble, if they are.

If you create a program in Java, you don't have to release it as open source (or the GPL, more specifically), as long as you don't use GPL'ed code, which you won't if you didn't add that yourself.

Anto
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  • Heys I would like to ask why is your last paragraph true. from what I know anything that uses GPL stuff should be GPLed? – Pacerier May 15 '11 at 17:08
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    @Pacerier: Software created from a GPL'ed program isn't automatically under the GPL in case no GPL'ed code gets added into the program. You can use a GPL'ed editor for creating closed source software, or a GPL'ed compiler etc. as long as no GPL'ed code gets added by that program. – Anto May 15 '11 at 17:15
  • @Anto thx, way cool – Pacerier May 15 '11 at 17:55
  • That's not entirely clear. Should Google *publish* an altered JVM, Google would be required to offer the source code with it. Oracle, however, own the copyright to Java, and can publish it under any license they wish, including one that does require publishing any source code. – Colin Pickard May 15 '11 at 18:44
  • @Colin Pickard: If you modify something which is under the GPL, you *must* publish it (with the source code). Of course, Oracle is the copyright owner and they may do whatever they want with their product (to some extent). – Anto May 15 '11 at 18:47
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    @Anto: That's not true under *any* version of the GPL to date. *If* you publish the code at all, you have to also make the source code available. There's no requirement, however, that you publish the code at all. – Jerry Coffin May 15 '11 at 20:43
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    Google's legal fight has nothing to do with App Engine. It has to do with the JVM-like thing that they created called Dalvik, that is used on Android phones. Oracle doesn't like Dalvik, and thinks that it infringes patents that Oracle owns, which are used in the JVM. (I think they're also making copyright claims about Dalvik now too.) This is what Oracle is suing Google about. – Ken Bloom May 15 '11 at 21:50
  • @Jerry, believe it or not, there *is* a version of the GPL that requires making the source available, if *network users* even access the code over a network. Called the [Affero GPL](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affero_General_Public_License), it was intended to "close the loophole" where developers were using modified GPL code to provide web services, but *not* distributing the modifications. – Cyclops May 15 '11 at 21:58
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    @cyclops But under the AGPL you only have to release *if* network users access the code. Jerry's original statement (there is no version of the GPL that requires you to release your code if you alter it) is correct. I could take a AGPL app, change in, run it privately just for me, and not have to release it. Anto's original statement is just wrong. – James May 16 '11 at 07:22
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You use Java. Are YOU paying Oracle to use Java? The JDK and JRE are still free for anyone to download and use. Google, I believe would be following the same principle and would not be required to pay Oracle.

lightsong
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    "The JDK and JRE are still free for anyone to download and use." -- it turns out that this isn't actually true. (1) the JRE includes a number of components that are described as "commercial" and which you're only allowed to use for experimental/development work, not in deployment, unless you've licensed them, and (2) the Java license states: "The use of Software in systems and solutions that provide dedicated functionality [...] for use in embedded or function-specific software applications [...] are excluded from this definition and not licensed under this Agreement" – Periata Breatta Jan 15 '17 at 20:05
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Just because someone owns something including the copyright doesn't mean they have to charge people to use it. In this case Oracle (via Sun) owns it, but doesn't charge you to use it.

However, if Google were to go try and copyright Java or sell it as its own product, that would be a whole other story.

JohnFx
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