Separate Widget palette

[Richard Gaskin]

Richmond wrote:

> On 20.03.2016 17:41, Richard Gaskin wrote:
>> Has Adobe's patent on dockable tabbed palettes expired yet?
>> http://www.cnet.com/news/adobe-wins-macromedia-patent-suit/
> 
> "a feature that allows users of design software to rearrange the
> work space on the PC screen."
> 
> Ha, Ha, Ha: I really wonder how that can be patented. Every time
> I open Livecode on a small monitor I rearrange the work space by,
> for instance, moving revTools palette somewhere other than where
> it appears when I start up LiveCode.

That's why a patent includes details beyond its one-line summary.  The 
patent is very specific; most workspace rearrangements are not 
infringements. And it may even be that it's expired by now, since it was 
filed back in the '90s and Adobe isn't Disney so they don't have the 
power to single-handledly revise US IP law at will.

But patented it was indeed:  Adobe was awarded US$2.8 million for that 
"willful" infringement.

And ironically, Adobe later acquired Macromedia so the cost to 
Macromedia for that payment became effectively just part of the 
company's purchase price.  Minus attorney's fees Adobe ultimately took a 
big loss on that, much as Apple has in their patent suits against 
Samsung (which is no doubt why they've since called a truce on all 
future patent litigation with them).

Whether patents are destroying our software economy or helping it is 
something I'll leave for others to debate.

My main point in posting this was that it's at once entertaining and 
frightening to consider the broad scope of patents that may affect out 
work, giving rise to this joke I've heard in some dev circles:

Q: How many people does it take to write a line of code?

A: Three.

    One programmer to write the line of code.

    One attorney to check that line of code against existing
    patents in all applicable jurisdictions.

    And another attorney to file a new patent on that line of
    code to be used for defensive purposes.

;)

-- 
- Richard Gaskin
   Fourth World Systems
   wwww.fourthworld.com