sjs@spectral.ctt.bellcore.com (Stan Switzer) (09/25/89)
I am rather impressed by the visual impact of HP's 3D UI style. Apparently, HP claims a copyright on this look. This raises a number of questions: 1) Exactly what rights does HP reserve regarding the use of the style? 2) Does a user of HP's libraries have any obligation to uphold the "spirit" of the look. 3) Can a user define new 3D widgets (e.g. a bar-graph widget), and if so what claim does HP have on the new widget or any applications that the user builds using those widgets? 4) Suppose that someone developed a set of widgets for a different windowing system that were quite similar to HP's in general look and feel? Suppose he put them in the public domain? 5) How does HP feel about the NeXT look and feel? Likewise, how does NeXT feel about HP's 3D widgets? They look pretty similar to me. Post or mail your opinions, as you prefer. If you feel you can make any authoritative statements, however, please mail them to me. Stan Switzer sjs@bellcore.com
jim@EXPO.LCS.MIT.EDU (Jim Fulton) (09/26/89)
5) How does HP feel about the NeXT look and feel? Likewise, how does
NeXT feel about HP's 3D widgets? They look pretty similar to me.
And to add fuel to the fire, neither HP nor NeXT were the first to use a 3d
appearance, even under X. There have been products from several vendors in
the Mechanical CAD/CAE markets that have been using 3d icons, menus, etc. for
several years.
Jimmarbru@auto-trol.UUCP (Martin Brunecky) (09/27/89)
In article <17707@bellcore.bellcore.com> sjs@bellcore.com (Stan Switzer) writes: >I am rather impressed by the visual impact of HP's 3D UI style. >Apparently, HP claims a copyright on this look. This raises a number >of questions: > If If HP is going to claim a copyright on the 3D look, I am REALLY interested in in details. In particular because my company has been using this 3D look (sh (shaded buttons etc) in it's product line for at least 5 years now. How How can you copyright something that has been used for a LONG time by by someone else ? (by (by the way, our S5000 and S7000 DO have a Copyright ... but I doubt we we ever considered suing OSF/Motif or HP...) [opinions expressed here are solely of my own and DO NOT represent official position of Auto-trol Technology Corporation ] -- ############################################################################### Martin Brunecky, Auto-trol Technology Corporation, 12500 North Washington Street, Denver, CO-80241-2404 (303) 252-2499 ncar!ico!auto-trol!marbru