Re: [Linux-aus] Projects killed by Patents

[James Purser <purserj@southernphone.com.au>]

On Mon, 2005-08-08 at 23:17 -0700, Jeff Waugh wrote:
> <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.
> 

Okay let's reword this.

Does anybody know of, or are involved in projects that have been
hampered by software patents.

This could be a feature that you want to implement but have stopped by
an existing patent, or maybe you have had to remove existing
functionality because of a submarine patent.

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