Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!netnews.upenn.edu!sequoia!hoford
From: hoford@sequoia.upenn.edu (John Hoford)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next
Subject: Re: Boycott NeXT offerings that include a free copy of Lotus Improv
Message-ID: <31403@netnews.upenn.edu>
Date: 19 Oct 90 15:39:29 GMT
References: <123663@linus.mitre.org> <970@earth.cs.utexas.edu>
Sender: news@netnews.upenn.edu
Organization: CIRC,Radiology,U. of Pennsylvania
Lines: 27


In article <123663@linus.mitre.org> ramsdell@mitre.org writes:
>Enclosed are some corrections to my initial plead, and pointers to
>well thought out papers on the issue of interface copyrights.
>
>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 similar job, they will sue you.  The threat is
>real; Lotus is currently suing Borland over Quattro not because it
>implements the same interface, but because you can customize the
>interface to emulate Lotus 1-2-3!

Look at this from another side.
A large part of my work is in user interface design,
I consider what I do creative and original.
For years people have been able to patent their designs on 
mechanical user interfaces for every thing from hammers to
bikes. Why should people who design hammers with a 15 degree bend
be protected and people who spend years doing research
in user interface have no protection.

The american system protects creativity with copyrights and patents
if you have a problem with this you should not buy patented or copyrighted
products.


John D. Hoford