runyan@hpirs.HP.COM (Mark Runyan) (07/07/88)
>/ hpirs:comp.arch / exodus@mfgfoc.UUCP (Greg Onufer) / 11:21 am Jul 6, 1988 / >If you can't compete, at least inhibit the competition. Why are they >following Apple's (look'n'feel) lead? While I tend to agree that the idea that "IBM created RISC" annoys me, I'd like to point out that there is a difference between patent violation that IBM is claiming and copyright violation which I think that Apple is claiming. A patent violation might be easier to prove than "look'n'feel" copyright violations Mark "...but I'm not a lawyer..." Runyan
matloff@iris.ucdavis.edu (Norm Matloff) (07/09/88)
How about this for a theory? IBM has a reputation for being "nonmodern," especially in academic circles, and it is my understanding that in recent years, many top IBM people have been annoyed by this reputation. Thus they may feel that the lawsuit -- even if it fails on grounds of legalistic interpretations -- will at the least get IBM a lot of publicity, serving to remind people that IBM was in the vanguard in developing a technology which has become so popular today. Norm Matloff matloff@iris.ucdavis.edu
chris@mimsy.UUCP (Chris Torek) (07/09/88)
In article <2395@ucdavis.ucdavis.edu> matloff@iris.UUCP (Norm Matloff) writes: >... IBM has a reputation for being "nonmodern," especially in academic >circles ... That depends: if by `IBM' you mean `IBM R&D', the answer is `by no means'. If you mean `IBM marketplace', the answer is `certainly so'. IBM hires sharp, top-notch people, sends them off to TJW &c, then waits for the gold nuggets. These are then run through the marketing division, where they are filtered through the Alchemist's Nightmare, transmuting from gold into lead. :-) :-) :-) -- In-Real-Life: Chris Torek, Univ of MD Comp Sci Dept (+1 301 454 7163) Domain: chris@mimsy.umd.edu Path: uunet!mimsy!chris
gillies@p.cs.uiuc.edu (07/10/88)
I can offer some other possibilities:
1. IBM is hurting right now, and fighting for new ways to make
money. IBM machines are not selling very well (esp PS/2). They have
decided to use their lawyers to extort money from all companies foolish
enough to settle out of court. Since the intimidation seems to be
working with MCA (Micro Channel Architecture), this has encouraged IBM
to attack other companies and their products.
2. IBM's lawyer division has been bored stiff since the 1970's
antitrust suit, and IBM is trying to get them back "into shape" with
some new lawsuits.
3. IBM has decided it is king of its own country, and is setting up a
world government. It is looking for a way to tax its subjects
(smaller computer companies). This might just be the way 8-).
Don Gillies, Dept. of Computer Science, University of Illinois
1304 W. Springfield, Urbana, Ill 61801
ARPA: gillies@cs.uiuc.edu UUCP: {uunet,ihnp4,harvard}!uiucdcs!gillies