Richmond wrote:
On 20.03.2016 17:41, Richard Gaskin wrote:
Has Adobe's patent on dockable tabbed palettes expired yet?
http://www.cnet.com/news/adobe-wins-macromedia-patent-suit/
"a feature that allows users of design software to rearrange the
work space on the PC screen."
Ha, Ha, Ha: I really wonder how that can be patented. Every time
I open Livecode on a small monitor I rearrange the work space by,
for instance, moving revTools palette somewhere other than where
it appears when I start up LiveCode.
That's why a patent includes details beyond its one-line summary. The
patent is very specific; most workspace rearrangements are not
infringements. And it may even be that it's expired by now, since it was
filed back in the '90s and Adobe isn't Disney so they don't have the
power to single-handledly revise US IP law at will.
But patented it was indeed: Adobe was awarded US$2.8 million for that
"willful" infringement.
And ironically, Adobe later acquired Macromedia so the cost to
Macromedia for that payment became effectively just part of the
company's purchase price. Minus attorney's fees Adobe ultimately took a
big loss on that, much as Apple has in their patent suits against
Samsung (which is no doubt why they've since called a truce on all
future patent litigation with them).
Whether patents are destroying our software economy or helping it is
something I'll leave for others to debate.
My main point in posting this was that it's at once entertaining and
frightening to consider the broad scope of patents that may affect out
work, giving rise to this joke I've heard in some dev circles:
Q: How many people does it take to write a line of code?
A: Three.
One programmer to write the line of code.
One attorney to check that line of code against existing
patents in all applicable jurisdictions.
And another attorney to file a new patent on that line of
code to be used for defensive purposes.
;)
--
- Richard Gaskin
Fourth World Systems
wwww.fourthworld.com
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