taylor@limbo.Intuitive.Com (Dave Taylor) (12/22/89)
[Since there's a discussion raging about the Xerox/Apple suit, I thought people in this group might appreciate the following note from Apple PR] Press Information For Immediate Release Apple Claims Xerox Suit is Unfounded ------------------------------------ CUPERTINO, California -- December 15, 1989 -- Apple Computer, Inc. has examined the allegations of a suit filed yesterday by Xerox Corporation challenging the validity of Apple's copyright covering the Lisa and Macintosh computers' graphical user interfaces. Although the suit makes claims for unlawful use of copyrighted Xerox software and charges Apple with copyright "misrepresentation", Xerox makes no allegations of coypright infringement. Apple believes the claims are entirely without merit, and intends to vigorously contest them in court. "The allegation that Apple's Lisa and Macintosh copyrights are not valid is completely unfounded," said Edward Stead, vice president and general counsel. "For years, Apple has made significant investments in research and development to create its unique graphical user interface. We believe our works are wholly original, and that the copyrights we now possess were properly granted by the U.S. Copyright Office." In the Xerox complaint, it is alleged that the Lisa interface, introduced in January 1983, and the Macintosh interface, introduced in January 1984, unlawfully incorporate "material" developed by Xerox in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Xerox seeks to invalidate Apple's copyright registrations on the Lisa and Macintosh programs because it claims that they "overlap" with the Xerox Star copyright registrations. The complaint does not, however, charge Apple with infringement of Xerox's copyrights or other intellectual property rights. Nor does the complaint explain why Xerox is now raising these claims, almost seven years after the Lisa was first introduced. "Xerox's claims seem to confuse audio-visual expression, which can be granted copyright protection, with ideas that are unprotectable," said Stead. "It also contains numerous inaccuracies about the Lisa and Macintosh developments." Stead further said that the allegations raised in Xerox's complaint are similar to defenses raised by Microsoft Corporation and Hewlett-Packard in Apple's copyright infringement case, which also is pending in Federal Court in San Francisco. Apple intends to prove that those defenses are equally unfounded and that its Lisa and Macintosh copyrighted works are original and valid. -30-