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Oracle, it's time to free JavaScript

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31–40 of 135 posts

Re: Oracle, it's time to free JavaScript

#31
post #29

Oracle still uses Java though. You can't spell JavaScript without Java. Regardless, JavaScript is now much larger than Java, so the trademark for JS should at least revert to the public.

> Regardless, JavaScript is now much larger than Java Curious, but in what way? Java still drive lots of enterprise and banks, and I cant' say I've seen any Node.js in the backend at any of these places.

[deleted]

Re: Oracle, it's time to free JavaScript

#32

The letter makes points that the trademark is already abandoned. I'm not familiar with trademark laws, but if the trademark is already abandoned, why the need for the letter?

In general, unenforced Trademarks are worthless, but prevent other people trademarking the name. Trademarks are regional, and must be registered in each country even if a part of WIPO.

Some countries, the trademarks are market sector specific, but in other places cover all use cases for the name/mark.

It is highly recommended to trademark commercial products/names in each country of import. Otherwise your company could end up getting sued/imports-seized by an opportunistic a*hole that does nothing except sneak copyright/trademark rights.

Oracle is smart, and will sit on the IP like any business person should.

Most people that complain about trademarks/copyright have never been ripped off for a few hundred thousand by import/customs rules, or had counterfeit products show up for warranty repairs/returns.

IP is messy for sure, but it is better to negotiate from a position of legal power asymmetry when dealing with unreasonable individuals. Some people are crazy... had a few cons harassing one of the engineers a long time back, and needed legal to politely "ask" them to find another hobby. =3

Re: Oracle, it's time to free JavaScript

#33

Oracle still uses Java though. You can't spell JavaScript without Java. Regardless, JavaScript is now much larger than Java, so the trademark for JS should at least revert to the public.

There are enough open source interpreters/engines. Let's fork it and call it WebPageScript.

Re: Oracle, it's time to free JavaScript

#34
post #16

There’s lots of colloquially used names by the general public that technically infringe trademark. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_generic_and_generici... “Aspirin”, “elevators”, “laundromat” are just a few examples. Even “App Store” was trademarked (by Apple).

I think in the case of app store, that's suitably generic that someone with money could easily fight it.

Re: Oracle, it's time to free JavaScript

#35
post #16

There’s lots of colloquially used names by the general public that technically infringe trademark. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_generic_and_generici... “Aspirin”, “elevators”, “laundromat” are just a few examples. Even “App Store” was trademarked (by Apple).

Well done stuff probably is not enforceable, like App Store. That is too generic

Re: Oracle, it's time to free JavaScript

#36

The letter makes points that the trademark is already abandoned. I'm not familiar with trademark laws, but if the trademark is already abandoned, why the need for the letter?

JavaScript is a registered trademark. It would be easier for everyone if Oracle released the trademark registration than for the letter signers to file a legal petition requesting the USPTO cancel the registration.

The site explicitly says they tried to get Oracle to release the trademark before, and that this is their final attempt at doing so before filing wigh the USPTO.

Re: Oracle, it's time to free JavaScript

#37

They're clinging to it because of the "java" part, not the "script" part. And they'll hold on to that tightly. The most manifest example of this is simply what they made the Eclipse org jump through when they dropped, now, "Jakarta" EE. That was not a small rock in the Java pond at the time when we had to go through the Great Renaming. But they did it anyway because the packages used to be named "javax", and Oracle w…

IIRC it was also because the Eclipse community didn’t want to go through the Java Enhancement Process which the javax name is tied to.

Re: Oracle, it's time to free JavaScript

#38
post #16

There’s lots of colloquially used names by the general public that technically infringe trademark. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_generic_and_generici... “Aspirin”, “elevators”, “laundromat” are just a few examples. Even “App Store” was trademarked (by Apple).

I had no idea Heroin was originally a trademarked cough suppressant.

Re: Oracle, it's time to free JavaScript

#39

The article kinda glossed over how Sun got the trademark: "As a result of this partnership...". What does "this" refer to? Using the same syntax?

Fun fact, prior to the partnership it was called LiveScript.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JavaScript#Creation_at_Netscap...

Re: Oracle, it's time to free JavaScript

#40
> JavaScript is the world’s most popular programming language

Is this really so?

I have the feeling this is 'popular' because there are no alternatives. Web is popular, this is just an accompanying disaster.

There was an argument about fragmentation so people didn't want more things as option. As an answer to that there were many (?) attempts to solve problems that come with JavaScript for years, anybody remember coffee script? The only one that worked is typescript. And typescript again transpiles to Javascript having worse performance and a bunch of limitations.

The only alternative that I saw that makes sense is dart and people crucified google for considering to include it in chromium. It is really a shame that this didn't get accepted.

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