Google, Android, and Sun

The controversy around Android and Java; what does it mean to the Sun-Google relationship?

Sun enjoys a good relationship with Google (see http://blogs.sun.com/jonathan/entry/putting_
the_sun_google_partnership). Google helps distribute Sun technology, such as Java and OpenOffice, and Sun in turn helps Google distribute its toolbar. Money is almost always involved in agreements like these; why else are partnerships created? So what does the Google Android SDK mean to this relationship, and why isn't Sun part of the Open Handset Alliance (see http://www.openhandsetalliance.com)?

Before we get into this, let’s review some facts. Sun owns Java; it’s their IP and everyone besides developers needs to pay for it. Sure, OpenJDK is an option for companies that distribute Java with their products, but that subjects them to the terms of the GPL. Therefore, if you want to embed Java in your commercial product, you need to pay for it.

The interesting thing about Android is that it includes a version of Java that may violate Sun’s license terms. For instance, it breaks Java’s requirement for portable, WORA, code by compiling it down to machine-specific instructions (see http://www.oreillynet.com/onjava/blog/2007/11/dalvik_googles_tweaked_nonstan.html). It doesn’t appear that Google has entered into talks with Sun to license it at all (see http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=6900). Also, one interesting portion of the Android SDK license click-through agreement (which you agreed to if you downloaded the SDK – whether you knew it or not) claims that ALL of the SDK – which implicitly includes Java – belongs to Google. See http://code.google.com/android/terms.html for the complete terms that you’re agreeing to when you download the SDK.

I’ve read other reports that Sun and Google are headed for a big fight (see http://www.techworld.com/news/index.cfm?RSS&NewsID=10693), or that Google’s intent is to stick it to Sun for one reason or another. I don’t believe any of this; I think it’s all media hype. My opinion is that Google is taking aim at the wireless carriers, and ISVs such as Microsoft, with Android and the OHA, not at Sun or Java. Google’s intent is to disrupt the marketplace for what it believes is the good of the Internet community; in this case, cheap or free wireless connectivity with a standardized application platform. Their use of Java, and the bending of it to meet their platform needs is part of that, but it’s not meant as an attack on Sun.

So how will this be resolved? I can’t be sure. However, my opinion is that Google and Sun will work things out in a reasonable way, where concessions will be made on both sides, possibly with Google committing to NetBeans as the sole Android IDE, and Sun changing its JavaFX Mobile (http://java.sun.com/javafx/mobile/) strategy to benefit Android in some way. Stay tuned for more information.

Happy coding!
EJB

Posted by Eric Bruno at 08:59 AM  Permalink