Case could ripple through software world

The chiefs of Google and Oracle were served up to jurors on Tuesday as opening witnesses in a patent case aimed at Android software used to power smartphones and tablet computers.Oracle is accusing Google of infringing on Java computer programming language patents Oracle obtained when it bought Java inventor Sun Microsystems in a $7.4 billion deal brokered in 2009.Google has denied the patent infringement claims and said it believes mobile phone makers and other users of its open-source Android operating system are entitled to use the Java technology in dispute.

By Dana Blankenhorn: There are days when you really have to take your hat off to the American judicial system. This is one of those days.

Google won a major victory as jurors sided with the Internet giant in a high-stakes court battle over patents with business software titan Oracle.In a unanimous decision, 10 jurors agreed that Oracle had failed to prove its claims that Google infringed on Java software patents in Android operating software for smartphones and tablet computers.The jury verdict thwarted Oracle's quest to get more than a billion dollars in damages from Google.

By Dana Blankenhorn: The case of Oracle (ORCL) vs. Google (GOOG), surrounding patents and copyrights attributed to Java, is now going to trial, which means reporters are suddenly all over it.

By Dana Blankenhorn: Oracle (ORCL) could make up to an extra quarter of revenue next year with success in its legal struggle against Google (GOOG) over Android.

By Stock Croc:Oracle (ORCL) has been aggressive with acquisitions that offer research and development without a lot of risk.

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Oracle Corp is set to go to trial next week against Google Inc in a high-stakes dispute over smartphone technology, the biggest case in what is shaping up to be an intense year in court for the enterprise software giant. Jury selection is set for Monday in San Francisco federal court. Oracle claims Google's Android operating system tramples on its intellectual property rights to the Java programming language. Google says it doesn't violate Oracle's patents, and that Oracle cannot copyright certain parts of Java. ...

By Dana Blankenhorn: Those expecting a major hit to Google (GOOG) earnings from Oracle's (ORCL) copyright and patent suits concerning Java may be disappointed.