Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!wasatch!t-jacobs
From: t-jacobs@wasatch.UUCP (Tony Jacobs)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Jonathan (Apple patents)
Message-ID: <1476@wasatch.UUCP>
Date: 30 Mar 89 19:47:38 GMT
References: <530@umiami.miami.edu> <7423@phoenix.Princeton.EDU> <16381@cup.portal.com> <7483@phoenix.Princeton.EDU> <6806@saturn.ucsc.edu>
Reply-To: t-jacobs@wasatch.utah.edu.UUCP (Tony Jacobs)
Organization: University of Utah ME Dept
Lines: 23

In article <6806@saturn.ucsc.edu> aaronrp@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (Aaron Priven) writes:
>>>The difference between the original PC ROMs and the Macintosh is that
>>>Apple holds patents on several pieces of technology included in the ROM.
> 
>I'm sorry, but I've NEVER heard of any of these patents before. Patents
>rarely cover software because if they did, the software would have to
>be made completely public -- Apple would have to write it up and send it
>to the Library of Congress. I don't believe that's happened. I suppose
>the *archictecture* could be patented but if so, the Magic Sac wouldn't
>be possible.
> 
>Aaron Priven. Internet: aaronrp@ucscb.ucsc.edu

I have heard of these patents, a long time ago in fact. They are suppose to
have a patent on pulldown menus I believe. And no, the patent would not have to
disclose software (and perhaps wouldn't matter if they did). The patent likely
covers the "way the pulldown menus work" and not how they were implimented in
software.




-- 
Tony Jacobs * Center for Engineering Design * U of U * t-jacobs@ced.utah.edu