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From: herbw@midas.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc,comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Apple Payoff Blacklist Requested/Look and Feel of the 8010
Message-ID: <1064@midas.TEK.COM>
Date: Tue, 3-Feb-87 13:57:21 EST
Article-I.D.: midas.1064
Posted: Tue Feb  3 13:57:21 1987
Date-Received: Thu, 5-Feb-87 04:39:38 EST
References: <673@imsvax.UUCP> <1600@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu> <404@vaxine.UUCP> <481@cod.UUCP>
Organization: Tektronix Inc., Beaverton, Or.
Lines: 15
Summary: Patent infringement, *not* copyright!
Xref: watmath comp.sys.ibm.pc:1374 comp.sys.mac:1140

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As I recall, the "Apple/GEM affair" related to an Apple Patent (Number 4,464,652,
issued August 7, 1984), which DRI was infringing by using a one button mouse and

pull down menues.  DRI agreed to change the interface so that it no longer
infringed on this patent.  Note that XEROX used a three button mouse and
pop up menues, so the claims of the Apple patent were *not* based on work done
by XEROX.  Having read this patent, I *personally* believe that Apple's actions
were reasonable in *this* case.  I *personally* believe that the recent "Look
and Feel" Copyright decisions are *not* realistic.  Copyrights and Patents
do (and should) offer different forms of protection for intellectual property.
 
                                  -- Herb Weiner (...tektronix!midas!herbw)