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Apple Wins iTunes Interface Patent
phalse phace writes "There aren't too many details, but C|Net's news.com.com is reporting that Apple was issued a patent for its iTunes software interface on May 4. If you remember, Apple recently applied for a patent for its iPod interface as well."
While software patents have become increasingly common in the past few years--leading to long and contentious strings of litigation over seemingly basic computing techniques--not all companies are taking Apple's approach.
A RealNetworks spokesman said his company had not sought any directly comparable interface patents for its 10-year-old media player software, for example.
Of course RealNetworks has not sought any interface patents! How could you patent bloat, resource-hogging, and un-usability!?!?
MS pioneered it long ago.
Integrate Keynote and LaTeX
Because even Apple knows where the real bozos work: in the patent office.
You can't retroactively assign patents. Otherwise I could patent the wheel and be richer than Bill Gates...
Or trademark "Bill Gates" and sue his parents.
when a lot of the early Apple UI elements were ripped off right and left.
*cough* Windows
I issue this post as a fair warning. I have a patent request pending on an interface component, called "generic power toggler", which I have ingeniously called "power switch". Anyone found using this innovative and unprecendented interface element will be sued to death
Thank you for your attention
And the exciting array of themes the iTunes interface supports is awesome. For example, brushed metal, brushed metal, and brushed metal. I haven't been this exciting about brushed metal since Rasterman and Enlightenment.
Looking at the hideous ad-plastered screen for their Real Player, I'm surprised that Jeff Gordon hasn't sued them instead for patent violation.
Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
Microsoft used the South by Southwest Music trade show that ran over the weekend to confirm plans to launch a music service later this year. The opportunity was also taken to show record labels the service running behind closed doors.
No details of pricing were given, but it has been made clear that Microsoft aims to promote the service almost exclusively through the MSN portal. Users will be able to sign up via MSN and then view the catalogue of available songs for purchase and download. The amount of music that will be available is also unknown, but a Microsoft spokeswoman stated the company is "going to be striving for a large catalogue of music."
Initially, the user interface was to be copied from the popular iTunes software, but since Apple Computer Inc. has been awarded a patent by the U.S. Patent and Trademark office for the iTunes interface, Microsoft is shifting gears. When Bill Gate's was asked about the situation he reiterated: "Well, I think it's fun to talk about this because the rate of advance is so incredible, and not just in a numeric sense. The whole way that we interact with systems, the way we write software, the way we administer these systems, the way we collaborate, it will be very, very different."
Microsoft warned that they may have to move operations of their upcoming music store to an undisclosed country, where patent laws do not exist.
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"I don't think it's selfish, to eat defenseless shellfish." -NOFX
From Slashdot's 1876 archives:
"Alexander Graham Bell's fancy new 'telephone' is destined to be remembered as the biggest bust in recent memory. It lacks telegraph support -- what's up with that? And the price! Just goes to show you Bell's customers will pay for whatever pretty-looking crap he puts out. Carrier pigeons do exactly the same thing as this new-fangled telephone for dollars less. Bell's labs can't be long for this world ... "
This is my post. There are many others like it. If you don't like what you read here, go try one of the others.
Actually, a crazy guy from my hometown legally changed his name to "Coke Is It" and then tried to sue Coca-Cola. He lost.
On a related note, Apple is doomed. They signed their own death warrant when they decided to only have one button on the mouse. I don't see the company surviving past 2012, and I'd recommend everyone who owns Powerbooks should smash them against the wall now before they're laughably obsolete.