Sounds to me that Oracle bought Sun for its patents, to use against companies with money. They likely have no plans to further develop any of Sun's products.
I guess this was bound to happen, companies buying companies, not to enhance their offerings, or widen their market coverage, but for patents. I suppose a few good lawyers are more economical, with a better rate of return, than actually producing, marketing and selling things that are useful.
Unfortunately, as more and more companies jump on the patent bandwagon, there becomes less companies willing to risk doing anything new for fear of being sued.
I think it is time do away with the archaic patent system, and find a fair way to protect IP, a system designed for the software world, not the hardware world. In fact, the concept of software had not even been in a science fiction story at the time the patent system was created.
Its on par with regulating aircraft using horse laws.
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