tjt@kobold.UUCP (04/07/84)
Although I do not know patent law, I have heard of something called a
"design patent" which seems to be closer to a copyright (protecting the
form of something) than a patent (protecting an implementation of an
idea, and to varying extents, the idea itself). Supposedly, at least
one manufacturer of cast-iron woodburning stoves was done in for
violation of a design patent on the stove of a different manufacturer.
However, I think it is also rather rare to take out design patents.
--
Tom Teixeira, Massachusetts Computer Corporation. Westford MA
...!{ihnp4,harpo,decvax}!masscomp!tjt (617) 692-6200 x275raymond@zps.UUCP (Doug Raymond) (04/13/84)
Was this whole foofaraw triggered off by one lousy theft of one lousy program? An alleged theft at that? How some people (yrs truly included) spend their time!
barmar@mit-eddie.UUCP (Barry Margolin) (04/15/84)
-------------------- From: raymond@zps.UUCP (Doug Raymond) Was this whole foofaraw triggered off by one lousy theft of one lousy program? An alleged theft at that? How some people (yrs truly included) spend their time! -------------------- It wasn't even started by software theft. It started because someone posted the words to "Weird" Al Yankovik's "Eat It" song. -- Barry Margolin ARPA: barmar@MIT-Multics UUCP: ..!genrad!mit-eddie!barmar
Ewing@YALE.ARPA (04/20/84)
From: Ricky Ewing <Ewing@YALE.ARPA> But "Weird" Al Yankovic's song "Eat It" has the full permission of Michael Jackson as Jackson get a cut in the profits. Nothing has been stolen here. So there. --Ricky-- -------
barmar%mit-eddie@sri-unix.UUCP (04/21/84)
From: Barry Margolin <barmar@mit-eddie> The "Eat It" discussion had nothing to do with whether Weird Al had the right to produce the song. It had to do with the fact that someone posted the words in a newsgroup.