Re: NCSA patents on MOSAIC ???!!!
wmperry@spry.com
Wed, 25 Jan 95 10:27:21 EST
Leonardo@aol.com writes:
> WARNING:
>
> An article published in last Sunday's Chicago Tribune suggests that the
> University of Illinois has applied for several patents on technology relating
> to MOSAIC. If this is true, then they appear to be getting ready for a
> Unisys/Compuserve-style "hook them then cook them" move against the Internet
> community.
>
> Here's an excerpt from the article:
>
> >TITLE: "Microsoft deal lights up Naperville software innovator"
> >
> >By Ronald E. Yates
> >Tribune Staff Writer
> >Printed 1/22/95
> >
> >...Microsoft was eager for the Spyglass deal because the young
> >company controls the patents to Mosaic, the original software that
> >converts the complexities of the Internet into a mouse-controlled
> >graphical form. Mosaic makes the entire Internet look much like
> >what computer users encounter on their desktops with Microsoft
> >Windows or the Apple Macintosh...
>
> This may have just been a factual error on the part of the Tribune writer,
> but the potential seriousness of what it suggests must not be ignored.
Spyglass controls no patents - they just have sole rights to new
redistrubition/licensing channels. I'd say the writer meant to say
'licensing rights', not patents.
NCSA has a _copyright_ on 'Mosaic', 'NCSA Mosaic' and their pretty little
spinning globe, but I've heard nothing about any patents. I'm sure enough
prior art could be shown anyway. Images in documents - whoooh, never saw
that before. :) Anybody say 'HyTime' for hypertext?
-Bill P.