Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!lll-winken!uunet!amgraf!heitis1!news From: news@heitis1.uucp (News Administrator) Newsgroups: comp.graphics Subject: Re: Pixar's patent on stochastic image generation Message-ID: <1990Oct29.203607.403@heitis1.uucp> Date: 29 Oct 90 20:36:07 GMT References: <67527@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu> <1990Oct26.131122.2169@abcfd20.larc.nasa.gov> Organization: Harmon Electronics, Inc Lines: 20 In article <1990Oct26.131122.2169@abcfd20.larc.nasa.gov> jcburt@ipsun.larc.nasa.gov (John Burton) writes: > >Hey, don't laugh...read the article in Nov 1990 issue of Dr. Dobbs Journal... >The authors bring up an interesting patent infringement that X windows is >worrying about...seems someone patented the use of XOR for non-destructive >cursor movement...if you get a chance...READ THE ARTICLE!!! >no area of computer science is safe... > I just read the article. I don't understand what the real threat to X is. It should be possible for MIT to continue to use backing store and the exclusive-or cursor. Since they do not charge anyone for the sources, the royalties should be minimal ;-). If the X system is distributed with this capability, and a company wishes to develop and sell a server for X, they could not enable the code for backing-store, this will make it slower, but will only affect the systems which do not have a supplied server with the X system. Of course, the XOR cursor is gonna be a lot tougher to get around. brian