[net.micro.mac] Flopping line in MacPaint...XOR cursors patented!

jsgray@watdragon.UUCP (Jan Gray) (08/13/86)

In article <1232@trwrb.UUCP> sansom@trwrb.UUCP (Richard Sansom) writes:
>
>In article <2693@mit-hermes.ARPA> jpexg@mit-hermes.ARPA (John Purbrick) writes:
>>I have an Atari 1040ST, and I've been playing with its bit-mapped graphics.
>>One thing that the Mac does when running MacPaint is let you start a line
>>by clicking on a point, then flopping the other end around with the mouse
>>until you anchor it by clicking again.

>The technique used is called XOR (eXclusive-OR).

Some clever fellow patented the XOR cursor and line drawing method years
ago.  He goes around to companies which write software which uses the
technique and demands a nominal licensing fee, which he often gets to
avoid legal battles.

(I just wanted to mention this fact.  Please let's not discuss it, it was
beaten to death in net.graphics months ago...)

"You just watch yourself.  We're wanted men.  I have the death sentence
 on 12 systems!"

Jan Gray    jsgray@watdragon    University of Waterloo    519-885-1211 x3870