Comments for Google Web Toolkit - rumored Morfik partnership

Google Web Toolkit - rumored Morfik partnership

2006-05-18T03:00:49Z

Google has just released its Ajax toolkit, called Google Web Toolkit:

"Google Web Toolkit (GWT) is a Java software development framework that makes writing AJAX applications like Google Maps and Gmail easy for developers who don't speak browser quirks as a second language."

Also an interesting rumor is swirling around that Google either partnered with, or licensed technology from, WebOS company Morfik. Am digging to see what if any truth there is to this...

Update, May 18: Bret Taylor, Product Manager of Google Web Toolkit, has dispelled the rumor:

"Morfik seems like great technology, but Google Web Toolkit is in no way associated with Morfik or based on its technology. There have been some rumors circulating on this list that have been causing some confusion, and I wanted to clarify.
Thanks,
Bret Taylor Product Manager, Google Web Toolkit"

Comment from BillyG on 2006-05-18

2006-05-19T01:05:53Z

and just like you heard, I answered that very post of his by saying that I had read that rumor somewhere earlier in the day also, I still don't remember where though and the way I see it, whatever happens, happens. I did save their link though when I first heard about them because it was apparent they had something good going on. They are still the second most recent link in my IDE category: http://del.icio.us/BillyG/IDE

Comment from Chris on 2006-05-20

2006-05-21T00:13:03Z

I would like to point out some of google's demos uses yahoo! technology ;)

http://code.google.com/webtoolkit/documentation/
examples/jsonrpc/demo.html

Comment from Micah on 2006-05-20

2006-05-21T04:40:45Z

Richard,

I think you have hit onto something. First the definite denial by Bret which made me start to think that there is more than meets the eye. Second whoever ‚Äústars1son‚Ä? aka ‚Äús1s‚Ä?, ‚Äúlv‚Ä? and few other names he/she has used is, they have been pasting, verbatim, Bret‚Äôs post all over the place (makes you think it must be Bret himself). Then there is Morfik‚Äôs response(http://web2.0central.com)which suggests that it is not that clear-cut.

What is clear is that Sergey personally went to look at Morfik and its technology last year ‚Äì he obviously thought it was important enough to understand and decide if it was useful for Google. Why do I say this, because I was there at the conference (and so were you if I remember correctly), and Google guys were all over Morfik, before and after Sergey. It was commented on by many. So we have to conclude one of the following
1. Google has used their technology in GWT, but is unable to talk about it for legal reasons
2. Google is still in negotiations with Morfik to license their technology, but can not state it for legal reasons
3. Google is still in negotiations with Morfik to license the idea of compiling Java to JavaScript using their own technology, but can not state it for legal reasons
4. Google is not using their technology and has no intention of acknowledging that it was Morfik‚Äôs idea because of financial implications.
5. Google came up with the original idea of Java to JavaScript compiler and Sergey‚Äôs and his team‚Äôs visits were to find out how to best implement such a compiler.

I can see no other options, do you? If it is option 4 and 5, and I hope it is not, at Stanford we would call it plagiarism. And if it is options 1, 2 or 3 well, that would explain Bret‚Äôs and Morfik‚Äôs comments because the facts speak louder than either of them.