🚀 go-pugleaf

In <1991Nov4.205019.13644@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu> huntley@copper.ucs.indiana.edu (Haydn Huntley) writes:
*
*Fewer people would agree that they should be able to copyright the way
*that their GUI functions.  Please note the difference between
*copyrighting the way something looks, and the way that it functions.
*
*Personally, I believe that no one should be allowed to copyright the
*function of something -- it is much too restrictive and it doesn't
*benefit society.  I do believe that one should be allowed to copyright
*one's icons and the exact style of how a window looks (i.e. the
*decoration at the top, the scroll bars, close box, zoom box, and
*resize box.)

This sounds like trying to copyright an idea, rather than its expression.
So far, no court has allowed claims of this sort to stand.

*
*People have said to me that it is unfair for Apple to be able to
*copyright their trashcan icon.  This does require that other GUI
*developers should use an icon which looks different from Apple's.  I'd
*like to know if having it in a different color, a different style, or
*with distinctively different markings on it would be reasonable
*different? 
*

SGI uses a dumpster, and we haven't been sued (by Apple) yet!

*I understand that making one in the same color, with the same shape,
*aspect ratio, and markings would infringe Apple's copyright, but that
*seems reasonable to me.
*
*--Haydn

Eminently so.  Without this sort of protection, no visual works could be 
protected by copyright.  And this would mean that Hollywood would stop making
movies...  Hey, maybe we should do away with visual copyright :-).

Archer Sully <archer@sgi.com>	"Pretty soon we're all gonna get it
                                 Its time to buy some stuff on credit."
                                                -- Alex Chilton