Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!usc!apple!vsi1!octel!jpw
From: jpw@octel.UUCP (Jason Winters)
Newsgroups: comp.sources.d
Subject: Re: Just in case you are interested (!)
Keywords: lawsuits, X-windows, look-and-feel
Message-ID: <228@octeld.octel.UUCP>
Date: 8 Aug 90 16:02:29 GMT
References: <13545@yunexus.YorkU.CA> <58762@bbn.BBN.COM>
Reply-To: jpw@octeld.UUCP (Jason Winters)
Organization: Octel Communications, San Jose
Lines: 44

In article <58762@bbn.BBN.COM> cosell@bbn.com (Bernie Cosell) writes:
>oz@nexus.YorkU.CA (Ozan Yigit) writes:
>
>}The following was posted to comp.emacs by Richard Stallman. I believe
>}it is important enough for you to see it, [in case you have missed it]
>}and hence this repost.
>
>Aside from the usual handwrining from the usual handwringers, why is
>this important?  They *admitted* that they borrowed the idea from
>Solbourne's system.  In any other field of graphic design they'd for
>sure have to get the permission of the originators, why not here?

Hmmm... Ok, fine.  I'm going to design a new car.  Oh, hey.. Ford
has four doors on their car...  think I'll do the same.

What? I'm being sued by Ford because I've copied their "Ease of
Access" facility?  Well heck... guess I'll just have to make mine
a three door... no, 5 door... no, 7 doors!

Do you see a problem with this picture?

>}| Following this, Dave Edmondson yesterday received a letter from Paul
>}| Lippe, the vice president of Solbourne stating that he had "engaged in
>}| unauthorized copying of Solbourne's virtual desktop utility feature".
>
>They had!  No?  As always, the FSF embodies a conundrum: on the one
>hand they complain that all of these suits stifle innovation.  But the
>suits only arise because some folks refuse to innovate and insist on
>copying; who would be filing the suits if folks came up with their own
>stuff?

So, If I see something (Like, 'ls' for example) running, and I say "Hey,
that's nice" and then write a program of my own that has a similar
ability, I can be sued.  This makes no sense at all.  
   Now, if I saw the source code, and used/copied they WAY it was done,
then I would say "Sue me, I like it!".  But just because I implemented
a feature that I once saw and thought was great? hmmmm....

                       Jason
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