Xref: utzoo misc.legal:4267 comp.sys.ibm.pc:13450 comp.sys.mac:14227 comp.sys.apple:4752
Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!bbn!rochester!cornell!batcomputer!dumesny
From: dumesny@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu (Alain Dumesny)
Newsgroups: misc.legal,comp.sys.ibm.pc,comp.sys.mac,comp.sys.apple
Subject: Re: Apple Challenges HP New Wave, MS-Windows, Potentially OS/2 PM
Message-ID: <4092@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu>
Date: 21 Mar 88 01:38:03 GMT
References: <5480@well.UUCP>
Reply-To: dumesny@tcgould.tn.cornell.edu (Alain Dumesny)
Organization: Cornell Theory Center, Cornell University, Ithaca NY
Lines: 66
Keywords: Apple HP Microsoft Windows OS/2 New Wave Frivolous Litigation


rogue@well.UUCP (L. Brett Glass) writes :
>Apple has entered a legal challenge which, if successful, could have
>dire effects on future development of user interfaces for personal
>computers.
>........
>If there is sufficient interest, I am also willing to help
>coordinate the development of an amicus curiae brief opposing
>Apple's claims.
>....


NO ! !

I totally agree with Apple's claims.  I don't think that companies like 
Microsoft or HP, or just anyone, has the right to copy the interface
Apple as created (or at least expanded from an original design at Xerox).

Apple has spent several years (four I think) and many, many man hours to
produce what is now recognized as a revolutionary way of working with
computers.  I don't know if you remember, but when Apple introduced the
mac more than 4 years ago (January of 84), many PC users (as in IBM PC's) 
laughed at the interface saying that mac will never be a serious 
"business machine" with this icon based interface (remember that magazine
cover page with mac saying "hello" and an IBM PC saying "get lost" ?).

Now, companies like IBM realized the potential of such an interface
(enormous cut in training cost and added productivity) and want to copy
the look and feel of the mac's interface !!

I DISAGREE .

I hope that Apple will win, and that Microsoft will have to stop Window (or
give it a total different interface), because to me Window is a violation
to Apple rights (did you look at the windows, scroll bars, "elevators"..., 
there is only a few differences, like the way you select an item from a 
menu (you don't press the mouse button down while dragging, but rather click 
again, which I must admit is better)).

I don't think that people should be allowed to copy Apple's work (with a few
changes to make it look a little diferent), because Apple spent so much money
into developing this interface (and took risks because you never knew if the
mac was going to be a success or not (although I always thought so)), while 
others just wait and see if it succeed, in which case they implement it on
their own computers.
 
When I said that Window looks like the mac interface I mean the "looks and
feel", not the inside of the program, which may have many 
added/other/different features.

The future is funny.  A few years ago, who thought that Microsoft/IBM would
ever try to implement and interface similar to the mac's interface. How could
a computer with a smiling face at startup ever do business ? right !
( I am glad that more and more business people stopped thinking this way)


As you probably would have guessed I am glad that I will never have to work
for IBM, even though I receive a job offer from them !
(but Apple is another story :-)


Alain---
Cornell University
Electrical Engineering / Computer Science

Usual disclaim .... those are my own opinions, etc .....