🚀 go-pugleaf

user interface patents rear their ugly head again.  fear, uncertainty,
and doubt are the watchwords here.

people who are going to assert that "person x owns algorthm y" had best
back up their assertions with patent #'s and court cases, not just say
"please don't follow this up and don't use the software".  

(copied in from comp.windows.x)

--Ed

In article <3828@motcsd.csd.mot.com> lance@motcsd.csd.mot.com (lance.norskog) writes:

   Paul Heckel has a patent on the card user interface for hypertext
   systems.  He has defended it succesfully against Apple, and is
   going after IBM.

   Does Viola infringe on this patent?

   Please note that patent infringement can occur not merely when a
   device is sold, but also when it is used in-house.  Until this 
   issue is cleared up, downloading and bringing up Viola may expose
   your organization to a patent infringement lawsuit.

   No, we're not going to start the software patent argument again.
   We just went through it a month ago.  Please don't follow this
   up with rants for or against software patents.  Please.  

   Lance Norskog

   You heard me the first time.  Don't even think about it.