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From: tjt@kobold.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.followup,net.micro
Subject: Re: Software Piracy -- Copyrights & Patents
Message-ID: <288@kobold.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 6-Apr-84 20:47:47 EST
Article-I.D.: kobold.288
Posted: Fri Apr  6 20:47:47 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 13-Apr-84 00:09:24 EST
References: <48@ucbvax.UUCP> <291@aat.UUCP>
Organization: Masscomp, Westford, MA
Lines: 10

Although I do not know patent law, I have heard of something called a
"design patent" which seems to be closer to a copyright (protecting the
form of something) than a patent (protecting an implementation of an
idea, and to varying extents, the idea itself).  Supposedly, at least
one manufacturer of cast-iron woodburning stoves was done in for
violation of a design patent on the stove of a different manufacturer.
However, I think it is also rather rare to take out design patents.
-- 
	Tom Teixeira,  Massachusetts Computer Corporation.  Westford MA
	...!{ihnp4,harpo,decvax}!masscomp!tjt   (617) 692-6200 x275