Date: Wed, 07 Oct 1998 11:57:23 -0700 From: Mike Smith <mike@smith.net.au> To: Chuck Robey <chuckr@mat.net> Cc: FreeBSD-chat@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: Microsoft has a patent on [] (fwd) Message-ID: <199810071857.LAA01683@dingo.cdrom.com> In-Reply-To: Your message of "Wed, 07 Oct 1998 14:24:23 EDT." <Pine.BSF.4.05.9810071419510.15656-100000@picnic.mat.net>
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> I just got this from another list, but it's so outrageous, I had to post > it here (it certainly applies to us!) Apparently, Microsoft has > patented array indexing! > > Take a look, it seems real! It's real, but it involves taking a character string between separators (eg. []) and passing it to a run-time evaluator contained in a library. I can't see this impacting [] in general use, and the date on the application means that Tcl is probably applicable as "prior art", as this is how it handles command substitution. Looks like another bogus software patent to me. > ----------------------------+----------------------------------------------- > Chuck Robey | Interests include any kind of voice or data > chuckr@glue.umd.edu | communications topic, C programming, and Unix. > 213 Lakeside Drive Apt T-1 | > Greenbelt, MD 20770 | I run Journey2 and picnic (FreeBSD-current) > (301) 220-2114 | and jaunt (NetBSD). > ----------------------------+----------------------------------------------- > > > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1998 20:02:50 +0200 (MET DST) > From: David Stes <stes@mundivia.es> > Reply-To: objc-users@peti.gmd.de > To: objc-users@peti.gmd.de > Subject: Microsoft has a patent on [] > > > It looks like we're in trouble with the use of [] in Objective-C. > > >From http://www.patents.ibm.com/details?patent_number=5742828 : > > INTL. CLASS (Ed. 6): > G06F 009/45; > U.S. CLASS: > 395/708 > FIELD OF SEARCH: > 395-700,701,702,705,707,708 ; > > ABSTRACT: Source code including application defined expressions and > non-conforming identifiers are compiled to executable code. The source > code is written with an application defined expression or non-conforming > identifier enclosed between a predefined pair of matching separators, such > as square brackets. > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Portable Object Compiler Users Mailinglist > > > > To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org > with "unsubscribe freebsd-chat" in the body of the message > -- \\ Sometimes you're ahead, \\ Mike Smith \\ sometimes you're behind. \\ mike@smith.net.au \\ The race is long, and in the \\ msmith@freebsd.org \\ end it's only with yourself. \\ msmith@cdrom.com To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-chat" in the body of the message
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