[Valid Atom 1.0]

terça-feira, 17 de janeiro de 2012

Judge: No Date for Android Trial Until Oracle Fixes Damages Theory



It is now unclear exactly when Oracle's lawsuit against Google over alleged Java intellectual property violations in the Android mobile OS will go to trial, according to a ruling filed Thursday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
"Before a trial date will be set, the issue of damages methodology must be finally sorted out," Judge William Alsup said in the order. "Put differently, the Court will not set a trial date until Oracle adopts a proper damages methodology, even assuming a third try is allowed (or unless Oracle waives damages beyond those already allowed to go to the jury)."
Last week, Alsup ruled that the trial would begin on or after Mar. 19, but Thursday's order set that aside.
"For this 'delay,' Oracle has no one to blame but itself, given that twice now it has advanced improper methodologies obviously calculated to reach stratospheric numbers," Alsup added.
Oracle's damages expert originally estimated last year that Google could owe up to US$6.1 billion in damages for the alleged violations. But Alsup rejected that assessment, and since then Oracle has yet to produce a damages report acceptable to the judge.
A second obstacle in the way of going to trial is a pending petition filed by Google with an appeals court over a controversial email written by Google engineer Tim Lindholm, Alsup wrote.
"What we've actually been asked to do by Larry and Sergey is to investigate what technology alternatives exist to Java for Android and Chrome," Lindholm wrote in the August 2010 email, shortly before Oracle filed suit, referring to Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin. "We've been over a hundred of these and think they all suck. We conclude that we need to negotiate a license for Java."
Google has repeatedly tried and failed to keep the email out of the case on a number of bases, including that it was subject to attorney-client privilege.
In other filings, Oracle has asked for the trial to begin as soon as possible.
But Google's petition to the appeals court over the email is also in the way, according to Alsup's ruling Thursday. "If Oracle will waive reliance on that email, then this roadblock would vanish," he wrote.
However, the email has been characterized as a proverbial smoking gun for Oracle's case, with even Alsup stating during one hearing that Google would be "on the losing end" of the document, so it's not clear whether Oracle will actually take up Alsup's offer.
Alsup previously ordered that the trial be conducted in three phases. It will take two months, and that is adequate, Alsup wrote. "The time limits set are almost double the maximum ever used in any trial in the judge's 12-plus years on the bench."
Chris Kanaracus covers enterprise software and general technology breaking news for The IDG News Service. Chris's e-mail address is Chris_Kanaracus@idg.com



Google vs Oracle: Trial on Hold As Judge Rules $6.1B in Damages is a Joke



By
16 Jan, 2012 12:10 am

While the tech world was busy ogling the latest gadgets at CES 2012 there have been developments in the Oracle – Google lawsuit over Android.  Last Thursday a ruling was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California  stating that there is no clear date for a trial over Oracle’s lawsuit against the alleged Java intellectual property violations committed by Google for their Android mobile OS.
“Before a trial date will be set, the issue of damages methodology must be finally sorted out,” says Judge William Alsup. “Put differently, the Court will not set a trial date until Oracle adopts a proper damages methodology, even assuming a third try is allowed (or unless Oracle waives damages beyond those already allowed to go to the jury).”
This news comes during the same week that Judge Alsup gave a trial date of March 19. However, the recent update has put this date aside“For this ‘delay,’ Oracle has no one to blame but itself, given that twice now it has advanced improper methodologies obviously calculated to reach stratospheric numbers,”

The original estimate given last year by Oracle claims damages of $6.1 billion. However, the judge rejected this assessment and has required Oracle to produce another acceptable damages report.
In addition to a second assessment, Google has filed a pending petition against going to court for an appeal over the controversial email that was written y Tim Lindholm, a Google engineer.
“What we’ve actually been asked to do by Larry and Sergey is to investigate what technology alternatives exist to Java for Android and Chrome,” Lindholm wrote in the August 2010 email, shortly before Oracle filed suit, referring to Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin. “We’ve been over a hundred of these and think they all suck. We conclude that we need to negotiate a license for Java.”
Oracle has requested for the trial to start ASAP, in other filings. However, Google’s petition over the email is in the way, which based on Alsup’s ruling: If Oracle will waive reliance on that email, then this roadblock would vanish.’
Recently, the email was characterized as a proverbial smoking gun. Alsup was also heard stating that Google will be ‘on the losing end’ during one hearing. It’s still unclear whether Oracle will take Alsup’s offer.


Judge attacks Oracle's 'stratospheric' damages claim against Google, postpones trial

Everything we've heard about Judge William Alsup tells us he's a guy you don't mess with -- and yet Oracle seems bent on doing precisely that. When the company initially demanded $6.1 billion from Google in recompense for alleged violations of its Java patents, Alsup laughed that figure out of court and suggested $100 million might be closer to the mark. Ellison's crew then came back with a revised claim of $2 billion, which we just knew would lead to another smackdown. Well, here it is: the judge has now cancelled the latest trial date (which had been scheduled for March) and refused to set a new one until the claimant stops using "improper methodologies" for assessing damages, which are "obviously calculated to reach stratospheric numbers." Perhaps Oracle should try something more tropospheric?
LAST







Sphere: Related Content
26/10/2008 free counters

Nenhum comentário: