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From: "Geir Magnusson Jr." <geir@pobox.com>
Subject: Re: Reason for Sun's FOU restriction
Date: Fri, 29 Jun 2007 14:27:11 +0200
To: jcp-open@apache.org


On Jun 28, 2007, at 10:57 PM, Jukka Zitting wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I'm not sure if this question is stupied or was asked and answered
> already before, but do we know (for sure) the reason why Sun wants or
> needs to restrict the "field of use" of compliant Java
> implementations?
>
> I can think of two main reasons:
>
> 1) They want to protect their revenue from Java in embedded systems.
>
> 2) They see software patents as applicable only when the software in
> question is an integral part of a physical system, and use the FOU as
> a way to avoid hitting the patent minefield.

Software is a patent minefield.

Passing the TCK grants the necessary IP from the EG members - it  
doesn't confer any protection from infringing patents held by others.

So I'm going to go with #1.

geir