Oracle v. Google Trial On Indefinite Hold

symbolset writes "The trial in which Oracle is suing Google over Android has been put on indefinite hold by the trial judge, until Oracle comes up with a credible methodology for figuring alleged damages. The trial was planned to start on or after March 19."

Re:Pricless!

[idontgno]

It's better than that, too.

Oracle is responsible for delays which is jeopardizing its own case. If you read through the Groklaw articles about this case, it's pretty clear that Oracle's patents are being disintegrated by the Patent and Trademark Office's reexaminations. [cnet.com]. They've already lost about half of their asserted claims [groklaw.net] in the case, and they run the risk of further invalidation of the patents they're asserting here if they delay any further.

It would be hilariously ironic if they finally come up with a credible damages assessment just about the same time all of their patents completely evaporate.

Re:Will Oracle Now Drop Java?

[Anonymous Coward]

Now that their primary purpose for buying Sun's Java technology is no longer useful to them, ie leveraging Java as a way of extorting profits, will Ellison abandon Java? Both are costing him a lot of money without material benefit. At some point will he give up the ghost and just abandon the whole thing or will he keep pumping money into it, hoping against hope to hit pay dirt?

Ummm, no. The main reason Oracle bought java is that almost all of Oracle's software stack depends on java.

Without java, Oracle would be nearly helpless. A hostile java owner could cause Oracle an enormous amount of grief.

Anything else that Oracle can get out of java is just icing on the cake.

Re:Stratospheric numbers

[CarlDenny]

Willful patent infringement is 3x damages. So if they asked for $2billion up front, $6billion is a reasonable extrapolation.

Not that any part of the patent process in tech is reasonable.

Re:Stratospheric numbers

[jd2112]

Using RIAA methodologies results with damages exceeding the entire economic output of the entire world for several decades. MPAA methodologies result in neither Oracle or Google ever having turned a profit despite both being among the most successful companies of all time.

Re:Stratospheric numbers

[DragonWriter]

Well, it's an indefinite hold. Which means that the longer it goes on, the more painful it can get. Oracle may simple just wait until the numbers are right.

If Oracle doesn't produce a viable calculation (and even before they next produce one -- the court is still considering whether they get a third try or not) then they simply don't get to put their theory on damages forward at all. And they don't have unlimited basis to put forward new theories, they have to cure specific problems in their previously-advanced calculations.