Date: Mon, 26 Feb 2001 11:12:02 +1100 To: 31337 hAx045 <linux-elitists@zgp.org> From: "Karsten M. Self" <kmself@ix.netcom.com> Subject: [linux-elitists] Apple patents themes, ignores prior art AND WEBSITE Apple has been awarded a patent for desktop themes. They managed to avoid mentioning a website devoted to just such technology which had been existence TWO YEARS PRIOR TO FILING! http://delphion.com/details?pn=US06188399__ US6188399:Multiple theme engine graphical user interface architecture Systems and methods for providing a user with increased flexibility and control over the appearance and behavior of objects on a user interface are described. Sets of objects can be grouped into themes to provide a user with a distinct overall impression of the interface. These themes can be invoked by calling a corresponding theme engine. Theme engines can be hard-coded or data-driven. Unfortunately for them, their filing was 13 days too late for some rather substantial prior art. The Internet domain, themes.org, dedicated to distributing, you guessed it, desktop themes, was created April 25, 1998. Apple's patent filing was May 8, same year. Practicing systems include the Enlightenment window manager, which is strongly themes-oriented. Today, themes.org supports themes for Afterstep, Blackbox, Enlightenment, Ecewm, KDE, Sawfish, and Windowmaker Actually, the thirteen days likely wouldn't have mattered. Reading the themes.org history page (http://www.themes.org/about/history.phtml), we find: The story of Themes.org begins back in 1996, with Trae McCombs, who the world knows as OctobrX... "I started themes.org, no it goes back before then... I started running GNU/Linux in Sept. of 1996. I started running it because I had seen a certain screenshot that Carste (aka: Raster) had taken of his then 'FVWM-XPM' project. Thats when I determined I wanted to run GNU/Linux. After a month or so, I started making graphics for my desktop while using a window manager called 'AfterStep'. I worked hard for several months, and created about 30+ themes for AfterStep. To my knowledge, I was the first person to mass produce themes for the GNU/Linux/Un*x community. Then, I started running a window manager called Window Maker, and decided to make themes for it. I made about 50+ themes for WM, and then somehow got wrapped up in Enlightenment. Another 12 themes for E, and I decided I should get web hosting for all this Doh! - -- Karsten M. Self <kmself@ix.netcom.com> http://kmself.home.netcom.com/ What part of "Gestalt" don't you understand? There is no K5 cabal http://gestalt-system.sourceforge.net/ http://www.kuro5hin.org - -- Karsten M. Self <kmself@ix.netcom.com> http://kmself.home.netcom.com/ What part of "Gestalt" don't you understand? There is no K5 cabal http://gestalt-system.sourceforge.net/ http://www.kuro5hin.org _______________________________________________ linux-elitists http://zgp.org/mailman/listinfo/linux-elitists ------- End of Forwarded Message