Re: [DotGNU]Re: Collaboration on alternatives to theUS-patent-endangered APIs?

[Seth Johnson]

I don't like making "apis that are absolutely not encumbered by a [software]
patent."  Not too sure that's possible in America in the first place.  I
like being able to make things regardless of software patents, and if I want
the code to survive, doing that in a way that's as safe legally as possible.

Seth

Miguel de Icaza wrote:
> 
> Hello,
> 
> > > If you did such a careful study with your lawyer, would you mind
> > > publishing it so others can review it?
> >
> > And I suppose you would just turn over internal Ximian/Novell legal advice 
> > and
> > developer discussions should I ask for it?  Nice try to avoid the apology.
> 
> Rhys, I am not the one making claims that `Windows.Forms has no patent
> violations', you are the one who claimed that you had done a careful
> study.
> 
> What I said is reflected on our FAQ: we dont believe that *any* of it is
> patentable.  But if you are going to pick `Windows.Forms' as part of
> your initiative of "apis which are absolutely not encumbered by a
> patent", then I believe that Norbert is miss-leading the community and
> it can not be the basis of a completely pure effort to have a
> non-encumbered system.
> 
> You claim that you did a careful study on Windows.Forms and its
> applicability to the patent, and that is why its excluded.  I do not
> believe either you or Norbert did any careful study.
> 
> For us to cooperate in this delicate matter, I must trust you, and so
> far you are not giving me any sense of security.  If anything, you are
> avoiding the topic, just like Darl McBride is.
> 
> > Anyway, from the USPTO's guidelines on patentability [1]:
> >
> >     The subject matter sought to be patented must be sufficiently different
> >     from what has been used or described before that it may be said to be
> >     nonobvious to a person having ordinary skill in the area of technology
> >     related to the invention.  For example, the substitution of one material
> >     for another, or changes in size, are ordinarily not patentable.
> >
> > The last sentence is the important one: "the substitution of one material 
> > for
> > another".  Changing C++ in MFC into C# in Windows.Forms would seem to be
> > little more than a change in "material".
> 
> An excellent quote, worth keeping it around.
> 
> > Of course, we could be wrong - anything could happen once the C&D's start
> > flying.  Hence the hedge-betting on Qt# and Gtk#.
> >
> > I (still) await your apology.  Accusing us of being deceptive, and then 
> > asking
> > that we prove your own accusation, is quite offensive.  And needless to say,
> > uncooperative.
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Rhys.
> >
> > [1] http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/doc/general/index.html#novelty
> --
> Miguel de Icaza <address@hidden>
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