Adobe Beats Macromedia In Tabs Patent Case

An Anonymous Coward points to this Adobe press release, writing "Adobe has won in its rather-silly patent lawsuit vs Macromedia, which covers the "tabbed palettes" UI used in so many applications these days. Hard to believe this one stood up in court, but hey..." Slightly less happy is Macromedia's release.

Comments

Good riddance

[mcasaday]

I personally hate the palette UI metaphor (what is so great about windows floating over your workspace getting in your way all the time anyway?) and was very happy when Macromedia moved Flash MX to their panel model. Still not as cool as Corel's dockers, IMHO, but a great improvement nonetheless.

A link to...

[cei]

... the patent in question.

Method of displaying multiple sets of information in the same area of a computer screen

Abstract:

A method for displaying on a computer screen multiple sets of information needed on a recurring basis, comprising the steps of: (1) Establishing an area on the computer screen in which the multiple sets of information are to be displayed, the established area having a maximum size which is substantially less than the entire area of the screen. (2) Providing within the established area a plurality of selection indicators, one for each of the multiple sets of information. (3) Selecting one of the multiple sets of information for display within the established area by pointing to one of the selection indicators within the established area, whereby the selected set of information will be substituted within the established area for the set of information previously being displayed therein. A selected set of information may also be moved out of the selected area by pointing to its selection indicator and dragging it away.

Filed June 23, 1994. I guess that does put it before I remember Altsys doing similar it in Freehand (before Frehand was sold to Macromedia).