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Date: Sat, 17 Feb 2001 08:16:47 -0500
To: Dan Hollis <goemon@anime.net>
From: David Relson <relson@osagesoftware.com>
Subject: re:  XOR  [ was: Linux stifles innovation... ]
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At 09:32 PM 2/16/01, Dan Hollis wrote:
>On Fri, 16 Feb 2001, David Relson wrote:
> > At 08:52 PM 2/16/01, you wrote:
> >  > On Fri, 16 Feb 2001, Michael H. Warfield wrote:
> >  > > > You know XOR is patented (yes, the logical bit operation XOR).
> >  > >  But wasn't that Xerox that had that?
> >  > US Patent #4,197,590 held by NuGraphics, Inc.
> > The patent was for using the technique of using XOR for dragging/moving
> > parts of a graphics image without erasing other parts.  Also, since the
> > patent was granted in 1980, the inventors have had their 17 years of patent
> > protection, and we're all free to use the technique - legally!
>
>So you approve of 4,197,590 and think it was an innovative and non obvious
>invention in 1980?
>
>-Dan


Dan,

No, I didn't say I approved of the patent.  I merely reported a bit of the 
when and what of the patent and said that that is no longer relevant, i.e. 
it's not a concern.

I don't approve of software patents.  I think the idea of granting software 
patents is a bad idea.  As programmers solving problems everyday, we are 
constantly developing techniques for dealing with new problems or finding 
new and better solutions for old problems.  This is a process of continuous 
invention carried out simultaneously and independently in many 
places.  Putting patent restrictions on this process is a bad idea.

David



--------------------------------------------------------
David Relson                   Osage Software Systems, Inc.
relson@osagesoftware.com       Ann Arbor, MI 48103
www.osagesoftware.com          tel:  734.821.8800

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