[Linux-aus] Re: Projects killed by Patents

[James Purser]

Jeff Waugh writes: 

> <quote who="James Purser"> 
> 
>> Okay I'm looking for any local Open Source projects that have been killed
>> off by software patents. I would like to include something about this in
>> the next podcast so if anyone knows of any such projects drop me a line. 
> 
> You may not be able to count local *projects* that have been affected by
> patents on one hand. But there will be quite a few local *developers* who
> can tell you about patents affecting projecs that they work on. 
> 
> For instance, GNOME cannot implement spring-loaded folders [1] in Nautilus
> because Apple has a patent on it. This makes me cry deep inside sometimes. 
> 
> - Jeff 
> 
> [1] drag files, hold over folder, folder opens under the cursor, drag files
> over a folder inside it, that folder opens under the cursor, etc. Drop files
> and all the spring-loaded folders close again. 
> 
> -- 
> GNOME Summit: October 8th-10th              http://live.gnome.org/Boston2005
>  
>     "Stay away from my house, you freak! Can't you see that everyone is
>              buying station wagons?" - Neal Stephenson, ITBWTCL 
> 
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Perfect that's exactly the sort of crappy patent I'm looking for. It's a 
patent that 

a) Is not that hard to come with
b) Not Unique
c) Designed specifically to hamper competition 

James Purser
Chief Talking Guy - Linux Australia Update
Skype: purserj1977