glass@mica.berkeley.edu (Brett Glass) (04/08/89)
In a bizarre twist on the "look and feel" theme, Metaphor
Computer Systems is suing Xerox Corporation, asking for a
declaration that Metaphor's systems do not infringe on Xerox's
rights. The suit is a response to a letter dated February 10,
1989 from Xerox to Metaphor. The letter, which comes years after
Metaphor began shipping products with a graphical user interface,
claims that Metaphor's user interface violates Xerox's
intellectual property rights.
Metaphor was founded in 1982 by two former Xerox employees,
Liddle and Massaro, who repeatedly briefed Xerox on their mouse-
based, object-oriented user interface technology in an attempt to
get Xerox to invest in their new company. Xerox turned them down
but made no claims of infringement until this February.
--Brett Glass
============================================================================
"One of the nicest things about mathematics, or anything else you might
care to learn, is that many of the things which can never be, often are."
Norton Juster, "The Phantom Tollbooth"
============================================================================glass@anableps.berkeley.edu (Brett Glass) (04/08/89)
An additional irony: As you may recall, IBM licensed Metaphor's interface
some months ago with the belief that it was "non-infringing" and hence
would justify their use of mice, icons, etc. in their own products.
This belief may (alas!) turn out to have been mistaken.
<BG>
============================================================================
"One of the nicest things about mathematics, or anything else you might
care to learn, is that many of the things which can never be, often are."
Norton Juster, "The Phantom Tollbooth"
============================================================================