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Software Patents
The NewsLog of Flemming Funch
 Software Patents2002-05-03 15:01
7 comments
pictureby Flemming Funch

Adobe wins a suit against Macromedia (the makers of Flash) and gets $2.8 million in damages. All because Macromedia used some little tabs on the windows in their programs, which was similar to what Adobe was using. Hmmm, I was seriously considering buying a copy of Adobe GoLive for web design. I'm now going to change my mind, and I'm now going to pay for Macromedia Dreamweaver instead. The new version looks pretty cool anyway. I think companies using software patents to try to wipe out the competition should be boycotted.


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7 comments

3 May 2002 @ 21:44 by vaxen : yes...
i tend to agree with you ming but that's business the american way. fortunately it was only 2++ mil and not more. even though i detest, with a passion, macromedias' flash etc., i still must say that adobe is wrong in this. i have heard that dreamweaver is a jewell.  

3 May 2002 @ 23:18 by scottj : I can strongly recommend
Freeway for Webdesign. Small company, friendly people, excellent intuitive webdesign which works like a DPP app. Also much cheaper than Either Dreamweaver or Go Live. It is a Mac only app at the moment but that should no longer be an issue in fact it should be seen as a plus.

http://www.softpress.com/ (check out the mac user review.)

As regards Adobe vs Macromedia. If I remember rightly Macromedia were after Adobe over a similar dispute relating to some feature in Adobe InDesign which resulted in Adobe having to withdraw the application from the market for a time. I also seem to remember that the sum involved was a lot bigger than $2.8m. Maybe one is as bad as the other and this is only part of a tit for tatt war between the 2 companies.

Regardless all this software licence stuff is simply a way to rip off ordinary people. Software has a virtually zero cost of (re)production and should therefore be available on a "pay according to your conscience / pocket basis" I am certain this would provide more than enough for the people actually writing applications to live off. It would however put all the parasites that live off the process out of business and sink the whole thing of incorportating licence nrs and passwords.  

4 May 2002 @ 02:35 by ming : Software
Yeah, I don't really know if one BigCompany is better than the other. And, yes, this whole software pricing thing is becoming increasingly silly. Anyway, I pretty much pay for software that way. If I really like it and use it, I'll pay for it. Except for that some software are priced so it is never going to work for me.  

4 May 2002 @ 02:46 by gyrfalcon : Buying Power...
Gotta agree with you here Flemming...because something so small and seemingly in consquential, wins a suit of so much. It's absurd. I'm all against enforcing these rigid copyright rules.After all there is nothing 100% original!?!  

4 May 2002 @ 10:42 by vaxen : yoho now...
scottj, thank you for the clarification. that, i think, is the real point behind the 'open source' movement. "pay according to your conscience" is a great point scott...this would even go a long way towards preventing, so called, software piracy. but we all know that all these mini wars generate huge profits for those 'in the know.' as far as dreamweaver, etc., is concerned...there are always good 'cracks' available for those who cannot afford the millions one would have to pay in order to test or use every new 'dime bag' that comes down the pike. yo gyrfalcon! good to see you here...

http://www.nexusmagazine.com/arcoverups.html  

11 May 2002 @ 02:43 by ming : Now Macromedia wins
Ironically now, Macromedia counter-sued Adobe after the above lawsuit, and now {link:http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/020510/sff036_1.html|won their case}, getting a $4.9 million award, for 3 patent violations from Adobe. As the Macromedia CEO says: "The score is now Adobe one, Macromedia one, customers zero".  

30 Apr 2016 @ 01:19 by Mena @188.143.232.32 : JlSTiVBEInhPlZ
magnificent submit, extremely informative. I ponder why the opposite experts of this sector don’t realize this. You should proceed your writing. I’m certain, you’ve a terrific read„rsâ€âe¢ base already!  

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