On 24-Apr-09 16:53:04, Stavros Macrakis wrote: > On Thu, Apr 23, 2009 at 8:54 PM, Ted Harding > <ted.hard...@manchester.ac.uk> wrote: > [...] >> ...inspires someone to incorporate the same language extension >> into a GPL'd FORTRAN interpreter/compiler. I think I could then >> be vulnerable, or they could, on the grounds that I/they had pinched >> the idea from the commercial product. > > Unless you have a confidentiality agreement of some kind, or the idea > is covered by a patent, you can pinch any ideas you like from other > products. Copyright law does not cover ideas.
Well, I'm not so sure about that ... back in 2002/2003, National Instrument sued the MathWorks (MatLab proprietors) on the grounds that the MathWorks Simulink graphical development tool infringed on National Instruments' patented rights in such an idea. NI's implementation is embodied in their LabVIEW tool. In both cases, the tool consists of 'data flow diagrams' drawn on screen under the user's mouse control, using icons, with the ability to associate data structures and code with the nodes and the links. On my reading of it, it was the *idea* of using such a graphical interface itself which National Instruments claimed to have patented, namely The technology of the patents in suit concerns the creation of model systems (generally known as "data flow diagrams") through building diagrams on a computer screen by pointing and clicking with a mouse, rather than writing traditional lines of code. ... The patent claims (long, and hoghly detailed) can be read at http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4901221.html http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4914568.html http://www.freepatentsonline.com/5301336.html The Mathworks lost, and it went to appeal. Mathworks also lost the appeal. The Appeal Court's opinion can be read at http://cafc.bna.com/03-1540.pdf And the best of luck ... As I said before, I am not a lawyer and tend to get bewildered by their use of language; but others may end up more sure about this topic! Ted. >> ...Or maybe the GPL doesn't inhibit you >> from using *ideas* and *features* of GPL software, provided you >> implement them yourself and in your own way? > > The GPL does not and cannot restrict reimplementations of ideas and > features. -------------------------------------------------------------------- E-Mail: (Ted Harding) <ted.hard...@manchester.ac.uk> Fax-to-email: +44 (0)870 094 0861 Date: 26-Apr-09 Time: 12:24:16 ------------------------------ XFMail ------------------------------ ______________________________________________ R-devel@r-project.org mailing list https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-devel