[IxDA Discuss] Microsoft to license Office 2007 UI system

[Peter Bagnall]

I think you're correct here, and what's more, I think the Amazon  
patent only applied in the US. Does anybody know for sure?

There is an effort here in Europe to prevent software from being  
patentable, which has got a fair amount of support, although perhaps  
not enough to succeed. So at least over here I think MS are just  
trying it on. I can't see why, if you implement look alike widgets,  
you'd have anything to fear on this side of the pond. Of course I'm  
not a lawyer, so if there are any out there who know better I would  
be interested to hear what they make of the situation.

But then the whole patent system is now well into double think, it is  
preventing the very think it was created to promote - innovation, at  
least in our sector.

Cheers
--Pete

On 27 Nov 2006, at 18:04, Jeff Axup wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> Maybe I'm missing something, but I was under the impression that UI
> features (e.g. widgets and look and feel) can't be patented and aren't
> subject to copyright. MS might be able to require licences to interact
> with their system or use an SDK, but I'm pretty sure we're all free to
> create look-alike widgets in say AJAX and use them as we like. Amazon
> patented the one-click ordering feature, but I believe that was more
> about the underlying ordering system, which probably falls under a
> work-process patent? Do we know any software patent attorneys we can
> query?
>
> -Jeff
>
> ______________________________________________________________________ 
> ______
> Jeff Axup      Ph.D. Candidate - University of Queensland,  
> Brisbane, Australia
>                    Principal Consultant, Mobile Community Design  
> Consulting
>                    Currently based in Washington, USA
>
> Research:    Mobile Group Research Methods, Social Networks, Group  
> Usability
> E-mail:        axup <at> userdesign.com
> Blog:           http://mobilecommunitydesign.com
> Moblog:       http://memeaddict.blogspot.com
> Academic:   http://www.infenv.itee.uq.edu.au
> ______________________________________________________________________ 
> ______
>
>
>
> On 11/27/06, Jared M. Spool <jspool at uie.com> wrote:
>>
>> On Nov 27, 2006, at 4:52 AM, Matthias Mueller-Prove wrote:
>>
>>> Can anyone explain to me (rhetorical question) why UI concepts that
>>> are around for about 10 years are subject to a MS license?
>>
>> In war, the victors write the license agreements...
>>
>> Jared
>> ________________________________________________________________
>> Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)!
>> To post to this list ....... discuss at ixda.org
>> List Guidelines ............ http://listguide.ixda.org/
>> List Help .................. http://listhelp.ixda.org/
>> (Un)Subscription Options ... http://subscription-options.ixda.org/
>> Announcements List ......... http://subscribe-announce.ixda.org/
>> Questions .................. lists at ixda.org
>> Home ....................... http://ixda.org/
>> Resource Library ........... http://resources.ixda.org
>>
> ________________________________________________________________
> Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)!
> To post to this list ....... discuss at ixda.org
> List Guidelines ............ http://listguide.ixda.org/
> List Help .................. http://listhelp.ixda.org/
> (Un)Subscription Options ... http://subscription-options.ixda.org/
> Announcements List ......... http://subscribe-announce.ixda.org/
> Questions .................. lists at ixda.org
> Home ....................... http://ixda.org/
> Resource Library ........... http://resources.ixda.org
>

----------------------------------------------------------
The ultimate goal of the educational system is to shift to
the individual the burden of pursing his own education. This
will not be a widely shared pursuit until we get over our odd
conviction that education is what goes on in school buildings
and nowhere else.
      - John W. Gardner, 1912 - 2002

Peter Bagnall - http://people.surfaceeffect.com/pete/