Google Pulls Out of JavaOne Conference Due to Oracle
Oh, did Oracle think Google was just going to sit on their hands and take this beating without fighting back? The recent lawsuit slapped onto Google’s foreheads over apparent copyright and patent infringements in Android’s Dalvik VM won’t just affect the outcome of the courtroom: it’s going to affect everyone in the Java and open source community. That includes the group of developers holding the JavaOne conference which Google was once keen on attending.
This past weekend, Google saw fit to pull out from the conference – set to go down starting September 19th – due to Oracle’s stance against what Google’s done with Java for the advent of Android. It’s almost literally sapped their desire to interact with a thriving and welcoming open source community as the recent series of unfortunate events have completely changed their outlook on the whole matter.
Google’s Joshua Bloch (Google Open Source Programs Office) to Reuters:
We wish that we could [present at the show], but Oracle’s recent lawsuit against Google and open source has made it impossible for us to freely share our thoughts about the future of Java and open source generally. This is a painful realization for us, as we’ve participated in every JavaOne since 2004, and I personally have spoken at all but the first in 1996.
If there’s one company I must say has a real passion for the spirit of open source – throwing ideas into an even bigger pool comprised of the ideas of like-minded developers to spark innovation and progression – it’s Google. It’s obvious through Bloch’s – one of the biggest advocates of open source (and one of the engineers responsible for some of the libraries you see employed in Java today) – response that they feel jaded by the entire situation. It’s not to punish the developers (who are willing to stand by Google, it seems), but rather a necessary stance Google must take to protect themselves as a result of Oracle’s money-fueled antics.
It’s natural for us to wish the best for Google in this case due to the implications it may have for our beloved Android’s future, but I really do sympathize for the many developers affected by the lawsuit as a whole.