

Ask HN: Has anyone ever been sued for distributing Python or Ruby VM? - va_coder

Does anyone know of a situation where someone distributed a solution with the Python or Ruby VM and was later sued?<p>It seems that Oracle has pulled out a double barrel shotgun and filled Java with bullets, particularly for folks that want to distribute a solution that includes the Java VM.<p>Advocates of Ruby or Python in the enterprise can now talk to corporate about minimizing legal risk by going with a Ruby or Python solution instead of Java.
======
fragmede
Strictly speaking, Google doesn't actually distribute 'the' Java(tm) VM. They
distribute the Dalvik VM, which supports Java, among others. Arguably, Google
would not be in trouble, if they distributed Sun/Oracle's Java. (They'd be in
different trouble re: Java ME instead, but that's a different question.)

Spinning up the FUD machine, anyone implementing a VM must have similar types
of problems to solve, and so it's possible, just like in Dalvik, that the
Python and Ruby infringe upon those or similar patents that opponents with
deep pockets hold. Sprinkle some mutterings of Ogg Vorbis on top, and a
sufficiently knowledgeable advocate against Ruby/Python could easily argue the
opposite. (Python? That's, like, an open source language right? So that means
no one to indemnify us if Oracle decides Python _also_ infringes their
patents?)

