The trial of Google vs Oracle, which began in 2010, is finally over. After two weeks of deliberation, a jury found Google’s use of Oracle’s Java application program interface (API) as “fair use.”
For those unfamiliar with programming, APIs are a set of protocols and tools that allow different pieces of software to talk to one another. It’s how websites can integrate buttons to share articles on Facebook, Twitter and other social networks, for example.
Android became an immense success over the years, with over 1.4 billion activated devices around the world, while Oracle’s Java licensing business tanked. Oracle argued it deserved part of Android’s success since Google used its code. According to ArsTechnica, Oracle could have asked for as much as $9 billion in damages if it won.
