Oracle v Google - SCOTUS rules in favor of Google (finally)
Apr 5, 2021 19:10:53 GMT
Authored by swmech on Apr 5, 2021 19:10:53 GMT
Big news today from the Supreme Court, which finally rendered a decision in favor of Google (to the relief of most of the industry, I think...). There's a small ton of coverage already.
Coverage from Stephen J. Vaughan-Nichols at ZDNet: www.zdnet.com/article/google-beats-oracle-in-biggest-programming-copyright-supreme-court-case-ever
From James Romoser at ScotusBlog (with more detail to be added): www.scotusblog.com/2021/04/google-wins-copyright-clash-with-oracle-over-computer-code/
From Alexandra Levine and Nancy Scola at Politico: politico.com/news/2021/04/05/google-oracle-supreme-court-case-479044
And the decision itself (PDF): www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/20pdf/18-956_d18f.pdf
Coverage from Stephen J. Vaughan-Nichols at ZDNet: www.zdnet.com/article/google-beats-oracle-in-biggest-programming-copyright-supreme-court-case-ever
Or, as SCOTUS Justice Stephen Breyer put it in the October hearing, "You didn't have to have a QWERTY keyboard on typewriters at the beginning. … But my God, if you let somebody have a copyright on that now, they would control all typewriters, which really has nothing to do with copyright."
Exactly so.
Exactly so.
From James Romoser at ScotusBlog (with more detail to be added): www.scotusblog.com/2021/04/google-wins-copyright-clash-with-oracle-over-computer-code/
In siding with Google, Breyer wrote that, assuming for the sake of argument that the lines of code can be copyrighted, Google’s copying is nonetheless fair use. The fair-use doctrine permits unauthorized use of copyrighted material in some circumstances, including when the copying “transforms” the original material to create something new.
“Google reimplemented a user interface, taking only what was needed to allow users to put their accrued talents to work in a new and transformative program,” Breyer wrote.
“Google reimplemented a user interface, taking only what was needed to allow users to put their accrued talents to work in a new and transformative program,” Breyer wrote.
From Alexandra Levine and Nancy Scola at Politico: politico.com/news/2021/04/05/google-oracle-supreme-court-case-479044
Kent Walker, Google's senior vice president of global affairs, described the ruling as a victory for innovation. "The decision gives legal certainty to the next generation of developers whose new products and services will benefit consumers," he said.
And the decision itself (PDF): www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/20pdf/18-956_d18f.pdf