Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, testifying in the Java-Android copyright case, sounds like a gift to Google’s lawyers.
“Do you understand that no one owns the Java programming language?” lead counsel Robert Van Nest asked. Ellison began a longer answer, but Judge William Alsup interrupted him and said it was a “yes or no” question. Finally Ellison said, “I’m not sure.”
“And anyone can use it without royalty?” Van Nest followed up.
“I’m not sure,” Ellison said again.
Then Van Nest showed a video of Ellison receiving the same question on a deposition video and answering “That’s correct” to both.
Obvious questions, ill-prepared answers. A few billion in the can does a lot for confidence!
Ellison Flustered as Google and Oracle Argue Over Java [Caleb Garling at Wired]
UPDATE: Google’s Larry Page was “evasive” when it was his turn to take the stand, Wired reports.