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From: jmann@angmar.sw.stratus.com (Jim Mann)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next
Subject: Re: Boycott 68040 upgrades that include Lotus Improv
Message-ID: <2758@lectroid.sw.stratus.com>
Date: 17 Oct 90 16:43:20 GMT
References: <123553@linus.mitre.org>
Sender: usenet@lectroid.sw.stratus.com
Reply-To: jmann@angmar.sw.stratus.com (Jim Mann)
Organization: Stratus Computer, Inc.
Lines: 19

In article <123553@linus.mitre.org>, ramsdell@linus.mitre.org (John D.
Ramsdell) writes:
|>Lotus is trying to make it illegal to write software even partially
|>compatible in its behavior with existing software.  If you write a
|>program that does a simular job, they will sue you.  This is not a
|>negligible threat; Lotus has already won such a lawsuit.
|>
I'm not fond of Lotus and don't like these silly "Look and Feel" law suites,
but this is very much of an overstatement. The law suite Lotus won was against
someone who built a spreadsheet that was an exact match of Lotus, down the
the indivisual keystrokes you used to invoke actions. I don't think they
should have even won this, but this is certainly not suing everyone who makes
somethat that is "even partially compatible in its behaviour with existing
software." 
                

Jim Mann
Stratus Computer
jmann@es.stratus.com