[throwaway373438]

And this is why Google had to copy the interface -- otherwise their runtime would not operate with other existing products. As you can see given your example, the analogy is a perfect fit.

Your argument that the copying is once-removed is unfortunately irrelevant to copyright law.

[mehrdadn]

You're saying a car that's 1 inch narrower somehow wouldn't fit the same roads?

[throwaway373438]

What does "1 inch narrower" mean to you, in the context of this analogy? Are you suggesting the interfaces have different names? Different sized arguments?

None of those things would work.

Besides, creating minor differences do not solve this problem as they would still be derivative works.

[mehrdadn]

> What does "1 inch narrower" mean to you, in the context of this analogy? Are you suggesting the interfaces have different names? Different sized arguments?

Your question is exactly my point. I'm suggesting what I said earlier:

>> I don't think that's a good analogy at all.

[throwaway373438]

It sounds like the original analogy is apt, and your followup analogy isn't.

[mehrdadn]

I wasn't the one who compared this with the width of a car and then got confused what a shorter width would even mean.

But sure, if you say so.

[throwaway373438]

Program identifiers use exact matches. The analogy works fine understanding this context.

It's possible to extend any analogy in a way that doesn't make sense, which is what you've done.

It seems like your complaint may be that you simply don't like, or perhaps don't understand, analogies in general.