Pamela Samuelson has posted a coherent and compelling narrative on why the Java API victory of Google over Oracle is a very good thing.
Here’s where she comes out:
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Developers of software need some simple norms to live by. One such norm is that independent reimplementation of an API in one’s own original code does not infringe copyright. That’s the law as well as good public policy. The public has greatly benefited by the existence of this norm because anyone with a creative software idea can write programs that will run on existing platforms. The software industry has thrived under this norm, and the public has a wide array of choices of innovative programs in a competitive marketplace.
Put Pamela’s analysis to good use.
Ask at your next interview if the prospective employer agrees with Pamela’s post.
It’s 877 words and can double as an attention span test for the interviewer.
Ask before you leap.