Oracle owns “JavaScript”, so Apple is taking down my app • Hacker News Board

Re: Oracle owns “JavaScript”, so Apple is taking down my app

#21

Post by piinbinary » Wed, Apr 18, 2018, 12:13 AM UTC

Should we actually start calling it "Yavascript"?

ref: https://www.destroyallsoftware.com/talks/the-birth-and-death...

Re: Oracle owns “JavaScript”, so Apple is taking down my app

#22

Post by marshray » Wed, Apr 18, 2018, 12:13 AM UTC

Wehrdo wrote: post #15

I'm surprised that "JavaScript" has not become a generic trademark [0]. Examples from the Wikipedia article include Thermos, Chapstick, and Dumpster. [0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generic_trademark

A lot of what's said and written about genericized trademarks is just utter BS. Go ahead and market a product named Thermos, Chapstick, Band-Aid, or Kleenex in the US and see how far you get.

Re: Oracle owns “JavaScript”, so Apple is taking down my app

#23

Post by cryptonector » Wed, Apr 18, 2018, 12:14 AM UTC

marssaxman wrote: post #18

SllX wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It would be nice if eliminating web scripting was as simple as Oracle asserting their trademark rights.

I might actually forgive Oracle if that happened.

Hmmm, we just need to find the right lawyer there and put the thought in their head.

Re: Oracle owns “JavaScript”, so Apple is taking down my app

#24

Post by userbinator » Wed, Apr 18, 2018, 12:22 AM UTC

giancarlostoro wrote: post #4

binarynate wrote: post #2

I knew that Microsoft had to call their ECMAScript implementation JScript, but it never dawned on me that Oracle is the current owner of the "JavaScript" trademark: http://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=2416017&caseSearchType=US_... Between this and Oracle's ongoing lawsuit against Google for their use of Java in Android, I have a pretty low opinion of Oracle.

If I had to explain Oracle to anyone I would only say that their motto is simply "Do all evil."

One Rich Asshole Called Larry Ellison.

Re: Oracle owns “JavaScript”, so Apple is taking down my app

#25

Post by jannes » Wed, Apr 18, 2018, 12:28 AM UTC

binarynate wrote: post #2

I knew that Microsoft had to call their ECMAScript implementation JScript, but it never dawned on me that Oracle is the current owner of the "JavaScript" trademark: http://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=2416017&caseSearchType=US_... Between this and Oracle's ongoing lawsuit against Google for their use of Java in Android, I have a pretty low opinion of Oracle.

Hmm, so JavaScript was conceived at Netscape in 1995 according to Wikipedia. After the release Sun must have registered the "JavaScript" trademark instead of going after Netscape. Any idea why they did that?

Wasn't their inaction risking to lose the entire Java trademark by not defending it against Netscape? Does anyone know more about the history here?

What would Google do today if someone named their language DartScript? Or what would Apple do if someone released SwiftScript?

Re: Oracle owns “JavaScript”, so Apple is taking down my app

#26

Post by djsumdog » Wed, Apr 18, 2018, 12:31 AM UTC

piinbinary wrote: post #21

Should we actually start calling it "Yavascript"? ref: https://www.destroyallsoftware.com/talks/the-birth-and-death...

I was wondering why he kept pronouncing it that way. I thought he was just doing funny German pronunciation thing.

Re: Oracle owns “JavaScript”, so Apple is taking down my app

#27

Post by djsumdog » Wed, Apr 18, 2018, 12:31 AM UTC

cryptonector wrote: post #23

marssaxman wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I might actually forgive Oracle if that happened.

Hmmm, we just need to find the right lawyer there and put the thought in their head.

You need some inception; make them think it was their idea.

Re: Oracle owns “JavaScript”, so Apple is taking down my app

#28

Post by rvalue » Wed, Apr 18, 2018, 12:34 AM UTC

piinbinary wrote: post #21

Should we actually start calling it "Yavascript"? ref: https://www.destroyallsoftware.com/talks/the-birth-and-death...

did he call yavascript to avoid something like this?

Re: Oracle owns “JavaScript”, so Apple is taking down my app

#29

Post by hajile » Wed, Apr 18, 2018, 12:34 AM UTC

ES seems like a decent enough alternative to me.

Re: Oracle owns “JavaScript”, so Apple is taking down my app

#30

Post by thristian » Wed, Apr 18, 2018, 12:38 AM UTC

jannes wrote: post #25

binarynate wrote: post #2

I knew that Microsoft had to call their ECMAScript implementation JScript, but it never dawned on me that Oracle is the current owner of the "JavaScript" trademark: http://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=2416017&caseSearchType=US_... Between this and Oracle's ongoing lawsuit against Google for their use of Java in Android, I have a pretty low opinion of Oracle.

Hmm, so JavaScript was conceived at Netscape in 1995 according to Wikipedia. After the release Sun must have registered the "JavaScript" trademark instead of going after Netscape. Any idea why they did that? Wasn't their inaction risking to lose the entire Java trademark by not defending it against Netscape? Does anyone know more about the history here? What would Google do today if someone named their language DartS…

Sun was encouraging Netscape to include the JVM in their browser for applets, and generally trying to promote Java as the Next Big Thing. The in-browser scripting language was going to be called "LiveScript", but Sun asked them to change it to "JavaScript" to strengthen the Java brand, and make the syntax more closely resemble C-family languages.