Oracle-Google verdict signals need for copyright reform

Today, the jury in the case by ruling in favor Oracle against Google over Android's use of Java demonstrated how badly the copyright laws of the 19th and 20th century fit the technology market of the 21st century. The jury found that Google had infringed Oracle's copyrights on the overall design of Java (procured by Oracle in its purchase of Sun Microsystems), but Google's use of the Java documentation did not infringe -- and it was unable to determine whether Google's usage was justified as "fair use," which is a legally acceptable form of infringement. Read more...