🚀 go-pugleaf

   Apple Computer wins ruling against 'Windows'

	      SAN FRANCISCO (UPI) _ A federal judge gave a preliminary ruling
   Wednesday in favor of Apple Computer in its suit claiming copyright
   infringement by Microsoft with its ``Windows'' program for IBM computers
   and compatibles.
   ...
	      The judge denied motions from Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard and
   upheld Apple's claim that the Macintosh computer audio-visual displays
   are original to Apple. The judge also held that the major portions of
   Macintosh audio-visual displays _ overlapping windows and icons _ are
   not licensed to Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard.

   ...Hewlett-Packard and Microsoft argued
   that the Macintosh user interface is not entitled to copyright
   protection because it had been copied from earlier programs, principally
   Xerox Star and SmallTalk. The court said the Macintosh user interface
   programs were original works, independently created by Apple.
   ...
	      Judge Walker's decision did not determine the issue of copyright
   infringement, which will be resolved in the next phase of litigation...


Many of you have been counting on the Apple lawsuit threat to go away
of its own accord.  It may yet do so--but now this is less likely.  I
hope this development will convince you that we can't rely on the
judge to protect us; if we don't want these monopolies, it's up to us
to prevent them.

For more information about the danger of interface copyright, and about
the League for Programming Freedom, write to league@prep.ai.mit.edu.