This has already been settled in the courts: APIs are not subject to copyright and may be freely reverse engineered, provided the usual cleanroom methods are followed.

After the Google vs Oracle case i thought the courts decided the opposite of what you are saying: APIs are copyrightable and Google will have to pay aot of money for using them in Android.

> After the Google vs Oracle case i thought the courts decided the opposite of what you are saying

Are you posting from the future? Because it isn't after that case yet; Google plans to appeal (given that they filed for an extension to the 25th of this month) the latest Federal Circuit decision to the US Supreme Court and, if that doesn't succeed and end the case in Google’s favor, the next step would be a third trial in the District Court, followed—however that turns out—by another appeal by one side or the other to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, possibly another petition for en banc rehearing after that appeal, and potentially another appeal to the Supreme Court.

The original PC BIOS was also proprietary.

Google did the same thing with Java. It’s up in the air how that will turn out.

Actually the courts already decided in Oracles favor, the only remaining thing to establish is how much money Google will have to pay.

Actuallt the courts already decided in Oracles favor, the only remaining thing to establish is how much money Google will have to pay.