Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uwm.edu!ogicse!milton!yoda.eecs.wsu.edu!pcooper
From: pcooper@eecs.wsu.edu (Phil Cooper - CS495)
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: Re: AT&T owns X-windows ??  (was Re: Software Patents)
Message-ID: <1991Mar02.090410.24500@eecs.wsu.edu>
Date: 2 Mar 91 09:04:10 GMT
References: <820@puck.mrcu> <1804@pdxgate.UUCP> <1991Mar1.124740.26026@pmsmam.uucp>
Reply-To: pcooper@yoda.UUCP (Phil Cooper - CS495)
Organization: Washington State University, Pullman
Lines: 30

In article <1991Mar1.124740.26026@pmsmam.uucp> wwm@pmsmam.UUCP (Bill Meahan) writes:
>In article <1804@pdxgate.UUCP> berggren@eecs.cs.pdx.edu (Eric Berggren) writes:
>>paj@uk.co.gec-mrc (Paul Johnson) writes:
>>
>>
>>  Well... well... well... It's nice to see we're all exercising our legal
>>rights. I never knew something as ridiculous as this even existed until
>>X Windows became property of AT&T.
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>    SAY WHAT??????????
>
>I subscribe to a large number of trade rags and have seen NO mention of this
>whatsoever.  Are you SURE about this or are you just spreading a rumor based
>on something like buying X for a particular computer model?
>

   Well, AT&T does not own X-Windows per se, but they do hold a patent on the
back store method of refreshing windows in a GUI.  X-Windows (along with just
about every other GUI system) uses back store techniques, and AT&T has
recently decided to enforce that patent.  Sooo, it looks like a lot of 
companies will be paying hefty licensing fees, which of course will be passed
on to the consumers.  Screwed once again by the A-holes at AT&T.

  -Phil-

-- 
/********************************************************************\
*   Real Life:   Phillip R. Cooper                                   *
*       Email:   pcooper@yoda.eecs.wsu.edu                           *
*  Disclaimer:   Disclaimer?? I don't need no stinkin' disclaimer!!! *