schultz@mmm.UUCP (John C Schultz) (04/07/89)
In article <819@utkcs2.cs.utk.edu> moore@cygnusx1.cs.utk.edu (Keith Moore) writes: > >One way to "solve" the problem in the longer term: > >Get Congress to enact legislation that legalizes a certain degree >of look-and-feel compatibility. >...... NO! I have been reading "Re: GNU's not GNU..." as a humorous diatribe between zealots wasting net bandwidth; but I don't like rec.humor anyway :-). However wishing for government regulation is like wishing for cancer (all double entendres apply). Letting Congress, a bunch of lawyers without a real understanding of technology, determine such a personnal issue as a "look and feel" is scary. I hope and believe Stallman and FSF ideals on software tools will trimuph but in any case technology is likely to advance so fast that Apple's copyright claims become meaningless in a couple years. For example who wants to make a human interface of hex DIP switches. Granted if Apple wins, the precedent is there for future lawsuits but having public domain software on the cutting edge of technology will do a LOT to limit the impact of such narrow sighted viewpoints. Support FSF! But please no government involvement, otherwise the look and feel will be determined by the least common denomoniator and Lord knows "least" in government is pretty low. (P.S. Does a loaf of bread have a "look and feel"? Think about it Apple.)-- john c. schultz schultz@3M.Com ..!uiucuxc!mmm!schultz (612) 733-4047 3M Center, Bldg 518-1-1, St. Paul, MN 55144-1000 The opinions expressed herein are, as always, my own and not 3M's.