Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Google Serves a Cease-and-Desist On Android Modder

Posted by kdawson on from the doubleplus-ungoogly dept.

Several readers sent in word that Google has served a Cease and Desist order to Cyanogen, one of the most prolific Android modders: his CyanogenMod is enjoyed by 30,000 users. The move is puzzling. Gizmodo wonders what Google's game is, and Lauren Weinstein calls the move "not of the high 'Googley' caliber" that one would expect of the company.

7 of 336 comments (clear)

  1. License missing by sopssa · · Score: 5, Informative

    Google Maps, Google Talk and Gmail and so on require a license to distribute them. Cyanogen doesn't have one. Google C&D's because of that. Case closed.

    1. Re:License missing by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Google is clearly within their rights to C&D over those applications. The curious question, though, is "why would they do so?". Cyanogen is distributed for phones that shipped with those apps anyway(so it isn't as though there is any huge pile of licensing revenue on the table here), and copyrights, unlike trademarks, don't have to be defended unless you want to.

      There must be some reason why Google would risk upsetting a group made up, more or less, of self-selected enthusiasts of Android and its continued development, in exchange for no obvious money. Is Google confident enough in the value of its apps that it sees those Google specific apps as a future distinguishing feature for Android phones, one that OEMs will pay good money for? Are potential telco partners pissed that Cyanogen is something eminently worth rooting your handset for?

      The existence of their legal right is uncontroversial; but I find their potential motives a bit baffling.

  2. Le Shocque! by Rydia · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Google a giant company, not your BFF.

    Film at 11.

  3. What is confusing? by fermion · · Score: 5, Insightful
    If Cyanogen is "passing around Google's closed-source apps like Google Maps, Google Talk and Gmail", then google has every right, even a responsibility, to stop it. It does not matter that it only runs on google authorized hardware, Cyanogen has not been given the right to distribute the software. What happens if Cyanogen, or some other person, decided to modify the Talk so that all numbers dialed were reported to third party advertisers? Not only would google lose their share of the advertising dollars, but I am sure most would hold google liable. Same thing if maps intentionally lead people to drive off a cliff. Right holders have a obligation to control distribution, and I don't trust those who don't control distribution.

    Leaving this issue aside, it does seem that Android is not the open savior that every thought it might be. Given that for a cell phone to work it must have towers, and that the towers are controlled by private enterprise in search of profit, and that large firms tend to sue each other as part of the competitive process, any completely open phone is unlikely to thrive in the marketplace. If google were no a commodity vendor, then I would say that an open phone might work. But given they want tens of millions of customers, there is going to be a compromise of open software and control.

    --
    "She's a scientist and a lesbian. She's not going to let it slide." Orphan Black
  4. Simplish solution by IMarvinTPA · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Stop distributing those apps in the ROM!
    Add an app to retrieve them from the original (backup) version of the phone.

    SafeTex: Copying copyrighted textures from original Quake to custom commercial levels without incident. IE Don't distribute what's already there.

    IMarv

    --
    Trusting software vendors is no smarter than trus
  5. Re:Capitalism means crisis by PhreakOfTime · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Neither do fiat currencies. They all end up crumbling in exactly the same way.

    Did your history book also mention that?

    So, since ALL systems of humanity eventually fail, wouldnt it be more important to look at the quality of life that exists under these systems for the brief periods that they exist?

  6. Re:GPL Violation? by daskinil · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Umm, Linux is the same way, developers have the freedom to write a closed source app for it. Which is good. Otherwise I wouldn't have matlab on linux. Which is an industry standard for many engineering applications. So this is really not too news worthy, Google has closed source apps and open source apps. Just because a company has some OSS apps, doesn't mean they can't defend the rest of their apps.