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From: eve@ssc-bee.UUCP (Michael Eve)
Newsgroups: net.micro.atari,net.micro.mac
Subject: Re: DRI agrees to change GEM
Message-ID: <385@ssc-bee.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 3-Oct-85 15:24:30 EDT
Article-I.D.: ssc-bee.385
Posted: Thu Oct  3 15:24:30 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 4-Oct-85 06:54:30 EDT
References: <3208@nsc.UUCP> <87@druhi.UUCP>
Organization: Boeing Aerospace Co., Seattle, WA
Lines: 29
Xref: watmath net.micro.atari:1254 net.micro.mac:2827

> >... Apple has claimed that GEM copied
> >"The look and feel" or its Macintosh software and violated Apple's
> >copyright. GEM uses, among other things, windowns, drop-down menus, and
> >icons that substantially resemble the Mac.
>
>:From under the bar at Callahan's:   Chuq Von Rospach 

Actually, I believe Apple has applied for a patent on the pull-down window
approach.  I don't know if the patent has been granted, and, even if it is
granted, that may not guarantee the patent would hold up in court.

If DRI has agreed to change GEM, it was probably to avoid a costly court fight.
Apple is cash rich, and DRI is not.

If Apple succeeds here, how about all the other standalone programs which
now use pull-down windows?  How about regular menus ( a listing of current
options, enter a number to select an option) ---  I'd like to apply for the
patent on that.

On a related note, a company has a new word processor which automatically
completes words as you enter them. (e.g, you type in 'comple' and the program 
adds 'te').  The company has applied for a patent on their revolutionary 
application of AI.



-- 
	Mike Eve     Boeing Aerospace, Seattle
	...uw-beaver!ssc-vax!ssc-bee!eve