Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!apr!las
From: las@apr.UUCP (Larry Shurr)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Once again, PK VERSUS SEA
Message-ID: <448@apr.UUCP>
Date: 21 Jun 88 19:01:09 GMT
References: <5199@orstcs.CS.ORST.EDU>
Reply-To: las@apr.UUCP (Larry Shurr)
Distribution: na
Organization: APR, Columbus, OH
Lines: 35

In article <5199@orstcs.CS.ORST.EDU> kenns@jacobs.cs.orst.edu (kenn r stump) writes:
>Well, this deal that's happening between PKWare and SEAWARE is really
>stupid.  It would be morally un-ethical for SEAWARE to win.

>If they did, then Ford might as well sue all other car companies
>for producing 'similar' products.  They all copied Ford's Idea
>of making a hunk of metal that moves at different rates of speed,
>which rides on four wheels.  Where would it end?  Like I say, IT'S STUPID!

If Ford were to do so it would be especially ironic because Henry Ford I
fought and won a similar battle in the early days of the Ford Motor Co.
At that time a clever individual had earlier managed to obtain a very
generic patent on the automobile (in an earlier posting I point out that
ideas are not patentable, only things are, but this is in essence what
he had done).  Unfortunately, I do not recall that person's name.  However,
he very diligently protected his patent using litigation and demanded
royalties on every automobile-like device sold (he never built any cars
and apparently never intended to) .  Since automobiles were something 
which only the wealthy could buy, the royalty costs merely made cars more
expensive and more exclusive.

But Ford wanted to sell inexpensive cars and his independent-minded
personality rankled against such control anyway.  So he fought the
patent, asserting that it was too general to be applied.  If I remember
my history correctly, Ford's partners feared that the fight would ruin
the company and wanted him to give in and simply charge more for the
cars.  Ford persevered, however - I think he may have had to buy out
his partners - and won.

regards, Larry
-- 
Who: Larry A. Shurr (cbosgd!osu-cis!apr!las or try {cbosgd,ihnp4}!cbcp1!las)
What: "The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about."
Where: _The Portrait of Dorian Grey_ - Oscar Wilde
Disclaimer: The above is not necessarily the opinion of APR or any APR client.