[As-users] software patent regarding pager
niklas@fet.at
Wed, 12 May 2004 13:55:12 +0200 (CEST)
hi all
I found on xcomputerman.com ( xcomputerman.com/pages/?cat=3D3 ) that m$
applied for a patent about a "Virtual desktop manager", something we know=
as
Pager.
The direct link to the us patent and trade office is:
http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=3DPTO2&Sect2=3DHITOFF&p=3D=
1&u=3D%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=3D1&f=3DG&l=3D50&co1=3DAND&d=
=3DPG01&s1=3D20030189597&OS=3D20030189597&RS=3D20030189597
I do not know how patents work, but my guess is that a patent can only be
granted if you're the first to have an idea. Obviously if other already u=
se
what one wants to patent since years - the patent cannot be granted, righ=
t ?
It is rather hard for me to understand, because english is not my native
language, and i am no lawyer, no nothing about software patents.
So could someone with better knowledge review this?.
Afterstep would be directly touched (could be sued), as would be fvwm,
enlightenment, gnome, kde, xfce; those are all wms i know of that have
a pager. since most of them are gpl - wouldn't this patent violate the GP=
L?
so :
#1 we should do something against this.
-find a common position
-contact the other wms
-speak with one voice
#2 are there mirrors of cvs outside of the us?
Niklas
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