Re: The new apache license [OT]?

["Oscar Leeper" <oscar@preenroll.com>]

Disclaimer: This message is about patents, and is only peripherally
related to OpenBSD.  Don't read it unless you want to discuss window
managers and the nature of "free as in free".

I had a chance to read a good deal of this patent application from
Microsoft before my eyes glazed over.  And sure, if you only read the
title without a shadow of a grasp of the English language, it sounds
like they're patenting all window managers everywhere.  My question is
this, though:  What's wrong with the patent?  It refers to "A method",
not "All methods".  It seems to me like this patent applies to a very
specific and long windedly described interface, the *particular* likes
of which I'm not aware of currently existing.  Can anyone here with a
detailed knowledge of window managers read the patent application and
cite the existing window manager that performs *all* the functions
described in the patent, not just one, two, or n-1?

If not, I don't see what's wrong with coming up with an idea and then
protecting yourself from a bunch of "Free As In Stallman" clones keeping
you from making any money off it.  I mean, free is great. I love free. I
use it every day, but isn't "freely given" part of "free"?  Isn't
voluntary contribution to the public good the reason BSD
License-o-philes oppose the GPL?

I don't know.  Maybe I'm way off base, and this patent really does cover
all window managers everywhere.  Does anyone have a clue-by-four handy?
I just don't see the threat unless individual terms of this patent are
enforceable by themselves.

Oscar

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-misc@openbsd.org
> [mailto:owner-misc@openbsd.org]On Behalf Of
> Kurt B. Kaiser
> Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2004 5:56 PM
> To: misc@openbsd.org
> Subject: Re: The new apache license
>
>
> Theo de Raadt <deraadt@cvs.openbsd.org> writes:
> 2.
> Microsoft Pat. Appl.: "A method for a user to preview multiple virtual
>                       desktops in a graphical user interface"
> http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HI
> TOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=5
> 0&s1=%2220030189597%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20030189597&RS=DN/20030189597
> (http://tinyurl.com/2psu7)
>
> You can't code around this stuff.  It's the method that's locked up.