Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!ncar!gatech!mcnc!rti!sunpix!nick
From: nick@sunpix.east.sun.com (Nick England - Sun Visualization Products)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics
Subject: Re: Pixar's patent on stochastic image generation
Summary: Britain not immune
Message-ID: <198@sunpix.East.Sun.COM>
Date: 1 Nov 90 20:41:01 GMT
References: <SP6RAAD@cs.swarthmore.edu> <67527@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu> <6949@castle.ed.ac.uk>
Sender: news@sunpix.East.Sun.COM
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In article <6949@castle.ed.ac.uk>, aipdc@castle.ed.ac.uk (Paul D. Crowley) writes:
> n8443916@unicorn.wwu.edu (John Gossman) writes:
> >	Unfortunately I have heard this story before.  About three years
> >ago AutoDesk decided to go public.  Within days of the announcement, the
> >XOR cursor patent guys filed suit against AutoDesk and eventually won.
> >So Autodesk has paid them royalties ever since for a mathematical function.
> 
> I can't believe this is really true! Is there anything that can be done
> to overturn such a ludicrous ruling?
> 
> Does anyone know if the same thing would hold in Britain?
> -- 
> \/ o\ Paul Crowley aipdc@uk.ac.ed.castle
> /\__/ "Trust me, I know what I'm doing" - Sledge Hammer

Oh yes indeed, the insanity is not confined to these shores.
In a very important and lengthy trial in Britain, Quantel's
patents on paint systems were upheld in spite of tons of testimony
about all the prior art - including code printed in Siggraph
tutorials for example. Quantel is now aggresively seeking to
put other paint system vendors out of the business with
this decision.

This is just the tip of a VERY ugly iceberg.

just my opinion
Nick England