“Apple has filed for a patent that suggests the company is working on a new mobile device capable of supporting multiple users. Either that or it’s cunningly trying to outflank Microsoft’s lead on fast multi-user switching by retrospectively patenting the technique as its own. The application, number 0030107606, is entitled ‘Multiple personas for a mobile device’. It describes how a computer system’s settings can be immediately changed to reflect a new “persona” when the user chooses from a list of available personae using a graphical user interface displayed on the computer’s screen.” Read it at The Register. Elsewhere, Think Secret published the fourth installment of its “Inside Panther” series.
Apple Attempts to Patent Fast User Switching
About The Author
Eugenia Loli
Ex-programmer, ex-editor in chief at OSNews.com, now a visual artist/filmmaker.
Follow me on Twitter @EugeniaLoli
This one reminds me of when Apple claim that the iMac and the use of blue color on a computer was their IP. LOL
Linux, which already is multiuser Apple didn’t invent this, is already runing on handheld and mobile devices. Nice try!
Patent this, patent that. Now how will giving Apple (or for that matter Microsoft) this patent benifit the computing industry?
I do. Apple left the Newton OS users high and dry, after promising support for a product that they pulled out, hurting a big number of users.
Burned, once, twice… Be cautious about Apple handheld or mobile products. Remember Apple Newton.
This info has been on other sites about a month ago.
You have to read the patent. They are NOT trying to patent real user switching, but some kind of refined Location Manager, which has been part of the Mac OS for years. In Mac OS X, the “Location Manager” changes network settings only. Maybe that will change soon.
Pretty old news..
Anyway, the stuff they describe in this patent has been done before on mobiles. It’s called “Profiles” instead of “Personas” though on nokias. But basically the same thing.
Eh, I guess you can’t survive in the business world by patenting silly and obvious stuff.. Wether you are Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, IBM or even Red Hat.
I just read the whole article on “The Register” and have to apologize.
What they believe to have found out is indeed new information.
“This one reminds me of when Apple claim that the iMac and the use of blue color on a computer was their IP. LOL”
Apple never claimed such a thing
Um.. profiles on Nokia phones are nothing like user profiles on computers, or “personas.”
Nokia’s Profiles are used for different settings on the phone, ie how loud you want it to ring and with which ring tone, they do not allow you to give your phone to your friend and have the phone switch identities, phone numbers, preferences, etc.
Apple is patenting pulling a fast one?
“Patent this, patent that. Now how will giving Apple (or for that matter Microsoft) this patent benifit the computing industry?”
Is Apple that big that you should care how it will benefit MS windows? If and fact Apple does use this, it will be for Mac users.
Burned, once, twice… Be cautious about Apple handheld or mobile products. Remember Apple Newton.
I doubt this is about the Newton (or anything PDA-like). What this patent refers to is probably a wireless display (possibly pen driven?) that allows access to a users session running on a computer somewhere else. I believe Viewsonic already offers this kind of product for XP. Here we go( http://www.viewsonic.com/products/airpanel_airpanelv150.htm )
So the idea is that you have one big computer with a wireless router and one or two of these displays around the house that everyone uses if they want to access the computer from another room. Lots cheaper than a laptop/tablet PC but just as functional in the right environment (home or office).
“Apple is patenting pulling a fast one?”
LOL. Too bad we don’t have the funny meter like in (/.)
I remember when they treatened to a law suit against emachines, for the use of the name and the use of the color blue. Plus the profile, integrated monitor and CPU in a case, which Compaq and others had done a long time ago. Also Panasonic and even Commodore had doen, but didn’t get a Patent.
I think Apple show signs of being desperate despite all the propaganda that one hears about how good they are doing. Oh well, good luck to them.
By Anonymous (IP: 12.105.181.—) – Posted on 2003-07-11 19:41:25
“This one reminds me of when Apple claim that the iMac and the use of blue color on a computer was their IP. LOL”
Apple never claimed such a thing”
Thats more BS Pro Apple propaganda from you, here is the link that prooves that you are fulll of it:
http://news.com.com/2100-1040-230054.html
Stop trolling! Stop following me around the OSnews Forum to run interference with lies and malicious crap!
If you like Apple[and steve Jobs for that matter] that’s fine, just don’t go around laying about everything to make Apple look good, is just intellectually dishonest.
Bye!
“Is Apple that big that you should care how it will benefit MS windows? If and fact Apple does use this, it will be for Mac users.”
You might want to reread the lead-in to the story and what I wrote. My point isn’t so much about caring who benifits from this, be it Apple, or Microsoft[1]. but the overall community at large for what seems to be something obvious. Unless you’ve been asleep for the past couple decades Patent abuse is rather widespread. I see no reason to be a cheerleader for that. Regardless of who’s doing it.
[1] Naturally someone’s going to benifit, otherwise what’s the point of doing it?
“Linux, which already is multiuser Apple didn’t invent this, is already runing on handheld and mobile devices. Nice try!”
Umm…They aren’t claiming anything about multiple users on an OS…they are making a claim about fast user switching. Big difference. Did you actually read the article?
I should patent the idea of eliminating the US Patent office.
“I do. Apple left the Newton OS users high and dry, after promising support for a product that they pulled out, hurting a big number of users.
Burned, once, twice… Be cautious about Apple handheld or mobile products. Remember Apple Newton”
The Newton came WAY before anything like Palm came along. It was far ahead of its time…there was not yet any demand/no market for such a device…hence it failed…though I have a fully functional Newton on my desk right now.
Mobile computing now has a much larger demand than when Apple released the Newton…hence they can actually make a handheld and be very successful with it.
Apple isn’t out to burn anybody. You might be out to burn Apple Mistik jogelour, but I don’t your opinion matters much since it is very clear that you don’t really consider what you are submitting.
“I remember when they treatened to a law suit against emachines, for the use of the name and the use of the color blue.”
They did no such thing.
You are confusing the case in which emachines and a few others copied the aesthetic design of the iMac.
“Plus the profile, integrated monitor and CPU in a case, which Compaq and others had done a long time ago. Also Panasonic and even Commodore had doen, but didn’t get a Patent. “
Their design was totally differn’t. hence the reason why Apple didn’t sue them
“I think Apple show signs of being desperate despite all the propaganda that one hears about how good they are doing.”
Really? What makes you say that?
” rel=”nofollow”>http://news.com.com/2100-1040-230054.html”
This link has nothing to do with Apple suing because “the name and the use of the color blue.” it was because these companies copies the entire design aesthetic of those machines.
“Stop trolling!”
Me?! you made an incorrect statement, and seem hell bend on continuing to do so. I’m simply correcting you.
“Stop following me around the OSnews Forum to run interference with lies and malicious crap!”
I will continue to follow you as long as you continue to spread FUD.
“If you like Apple[and steve Jobs for that matter] that’s fine, just don’t go around laying about everything to make Apple look good”
I’m not laying or lying about Apple. I’m simply correcting your misstatements and FUD.
“Apple isn’t out to burn anybody. You might be out to burn Apple Mistik jogelour, but I don’t your opinion matters much since it is very clear that you don’t really consider what you are submitting.”
Dude, you’ve been working too long for the government. Get back to corporate America and then give me the Apple innocence, speill. Wish I don’t buy about Apple, M$ or any of the big players.
Apple did burn users with empty promising and by dropping the product in such a short time, many users upgraded on such promises to hardware that became a dead end.
Perhaps you don’t remember, but I DO! 🙂
“You have to read the patent. They are NOT trying to patent real user switching, but some kind of refined Location Manager, which has been part of the Mac OS for years. In Mac OS X, the “Location Manager” changes network settings only. Maybe that will change soon.”
How about this for prior art:
I log into my laptop (a mobile device) at home using my normal, personal account. I take my laptop into work and choose my corporate domain account from a drop-down box.
I’ve seen worse… Intel once tried to trademark the letter “i”, hehe.
I actually saw one of the eMachines that Apple was suing about before they decided to file suit. The first thing I thought was “damn…that’s a total copy of an iMac.”
Apple was totally justified in suing eMachines because eMachines made a carbon copy of what was a very unique design that came from Apple.
“Dude, you’ve been working too long for the government. Get back to corporate America and then give me the Apple innocence, speill. Wish I don’t buy about Apple, M$ or any of the big players.”
Dude, you are way too high strung.
“Apple did burn users with empty promising and by dropping the product in such a short time, many users upgraded on such promises to hardware that became a dead end.
Perhaps you don’t remember, but I DO!”
Apple DID leave newton users high and dry. I agree wholeheartedly, but the way you’re saying it makes it sounds as if Apple is an evil company. When you couple that with the exhorbandant number of Flame unducing comments that you’ve posted, it becomes obvious that your agenda is not to express your opinion but to spread Apple FUD.
anything w/apple news here lately draws a certain reaction from a poster, twisting facts and history to fit his warped view of the computer maker.
leave the discussion to folks who are interested in the topic at hand. mister mistik.
I stand corrected, it was not blue, but Translucent Blue! LOL
Here is the link that dispells the Maczealots propaganda:
http://www.wired.com/news/print/0,1294,21423,00.html
Heh.
“I stand corrected, it was not blue, but Translucent Blue! LOL
Here is the link that dispells the Maczealots propaganda”
The lawsuit had to do with Form factor, (although partially about color too) Tradedress was the the term that was floating around the courts at that time.
It was they way the created the exact same form factor and placed color in the same way that Apple did, all of which caused the average consumer to misassociate the product.
You are really being rediculious.
Aaah Apple’s desperate!, XP had this first, they lied on their benchmarks, my Athlon XP only cost $100 to build, Apple’s finished as a company, I perform Nuclear Simulations on Linux running on my C128, FUD, FUD, blah blah blah blah etc ad naseum………
Lol.
“”We did settle with Apple and agreed to stop manufacturing and selling the current eOne,” said an Emachines spokesperson. “However, Apple agreed to a provision for us to sell a redesigned eOne.”
An Apple spokesperson said: “The court sided with Apple with the preliminary injunctions, and then these companies agreed to the settlements. As far as we’re concerned, this has ended it.”
You forgot to quote the link:
http://www.wired.com/news/print/0,1294,21423,00.html
There.
Propaganda is stating that Apple never did that or said that. Check the article again.
First, patents, copyrights, and trademarks are all very different things and it’s a really good idea to understand each of them and why they are very important to business.
Second, Apple was completely justified in suing eMachines, not just because of the company’s name, or the use of color blue, or the intergrated profile and design, but because of the combination of all those. The machine in question was very similar in appearance and design to the iMac. I haven’t read any information on the reason for the judgement but I’m actually surprised they lost. In my opinion, the eMachines all-in-one was a blatant iMac ripoff designed to capatilize on Apple’s success at the time. This is not an unusual strategy. I believe Apple may have lost because it was determined that they could not claim rights to a trend in design and fashion. This seems questionable because the iMac essentially popularized the two-tone white and translucent plastic design trend which was eventually applied to everything from ball point pens to George Foreman grills. I personally never saw this type of design before the iMac, which is why I and so many people found it striking, but it’s likely it existed before. Perhaps the courts felt that Apple wasn’t instrumental in setting this trend, or perhaps they felt that Apple wasn’t vigilant enough in protecting the design.
As for the patent, sure, it seems desperate. But a climate has been created and nurtured by the patent office which neccessitates this legal behavior.
the mark of a reeaally bad troll is to keep bringing up the same subject and hammering on it till it doesn’t resemble anything.
you’re boring, ill informed, and quite annoying.
“As for the patent, sure, it seems desperate. But a climate has been created and nurtured by the patent office which neccessitates this legal behavior.”
You have a point there.
In all fairness, Apple is not the only company try to copiright absurd things, Amazon and others have engage on this.
So my point is more to how ridiculous it seem and also how history and not propaganda can tell you of a Company. This is why I post links for my claims, unlike the propaganda, who dispute as a knee jerk reaction, you know, Apple can do no wrong rant. Not a big deal, is just a company, not a religion. BTW I respect people’s religion, so long as it is not a company. 🙂
” I believe Apple may have lost because it was determined that they could not claim rights to a trend in design and fashion.”
?
apple did ‘win’,
they settled with the 2 companies after they got world wide injunctions and the 2 companies stopped making the knock offs per their settlement.
Obviously I don’t know enough about Apple’s trade dress lawsuits to have commented. I thought I read somewhere previously that Apple had lost a trade dress suit concerning the iMac because the court did not feel that they could make such a claim for an overall trend in design and fashion. I must be confusing two different situations. I apologize to everyone for the misinformation.
the whole point is moot anyway.
your post was informative otherwise.
“Propaganda is stating that Apple never did that or said that. Check the article again.”
You said that Apple sued over name and color. They did not. it was over trade dress, which included their use of color. The way you stated it made it sound like Apple was suing a company because they used a similar color. That is wrong.
” By robcj (IP: 207.102.98.—) – Posted on 2003-07-11 21:00:01
Obviously I don’t know enough about Apple’s trade dress lawsuits to have commented. I thought I read somewhere previously that Apple had lost a trade dress suit concerning the iMac because the court did not feel that they could make such a claim for an overall trend in design and fashion. I must be confusing two different situations. I apologize to everyone for the misinformation.”
That’s very kind, but no harm done really.
I believe Apple didn’t lose, but they didn’t win either, that is unfortunetely it was settled out of court. This was due to eMachines being a small company bullied by Apple [a small but bigger than emachine company].
Many experts from Harvard Law school, etc, went on record stating that Apple will not win, Apple then move to settle and in fact they end up providing means for eMachines to put a different design out there, so I would not call that exactly an Apple win. Maybe that’s why you were under the impresion that Apple lost, because of the weird turn out of events.
“In all fairness, Apple is not the only company try to copiright absurd things, Amazon and others have engage on this.”
There are assumptions, We don’t even know what exactly this is for, so until we do, nothing about this can be considered obsurd.
“So my point is more to how ridiculous it seem and also how history and not propaganda can tell you of a Company. This is why I post links for my claims, unlike the propaganda, who dispute as a knee jerk reaction, you know, Apple can do no wrong rant.”
But your links did not prove your point. As a matter of fact, they proved the point of those that your protesting your claim.
So because Apple is patenting something that means Apple is finished. Thats the comment from one user…Apples been “finished” for years…
I’m sorry to inform you 14 year olds of this news but Apple been seen as dying for years…read a bit of history first.
Amazon patented the 1 Click button on websites, denying others to use this unless amazon licensed it to them… but nobody is complaining about it. Imagine if they didn’t patent that, everybody could be shopping much easily on the net these days.
@Eugenia Loli-Queru: Why do you even bother with posting news about Apple? It just allows the the majority of windows users to vent negative opinions onto the topics for no reason whatsoever other than to belittle fellow PC users who simply use a different computer platform.
Just leave the Apple related news to slashdot and save yourself some time by not posting this kind of stuff which isn’t appreaciated by the majority of people here.
Again readers should follow the link and decide for themselves, here is the link:
http://www.wired.com/news/print/0,1294,21423,00.html
People can decide for themselve on the track record of Apple and frivolous law suit on IP. Although I will admit that is by now forgotten since SCO took the central stage on silly suits.
“That’s very kind, but no harm done really.”
No harm was done because people were there to correct the comment, that does not excuse you for making equally incorrect statements.
“I believe Apple didn’t lose, but they didn’t win either, that is unfortunetely it was settled out of court.”
Apple got exactly what they wanted. That is a win.
“This was due to eMachines being a small company bullied by Apple [a small but bigger than emachine company].”
Bullied? How did Apple bully a compy that stole something from them?
“Many experts from Harvard Law school, etc, went on record stating that Apple will not win”
Any many said they would.
“Apple then move to settle and in fact they end up providing means for eMachines to put a different design out there, so I would not call that exactly an Apple win.”
Apple got them to stop shipping machines that infringed on their trade dress. That is exactly what Apple wanted. That is exactly what Apple got. They won.
“Maybe that’s why you were under the impresion that Apple lost, because of the weird turn out of events.”
There was no wierd turn of events. He was probably thinking of the way Microsoft stole code and user interface concepts and how Apple eventually settled the case in a fashion that kept them from retaining those UI patents and keeping others from using them.
“Again readers should follow the link and decide for themselves, here is the link:
” rel=”nofollow”>http://www.wired.com/news/print/0,1294,21423,00.html”
people don;t need to decide, they will follow the link and come to the conclusion that Appel won. if they think otherwise, they would be wrong.
“People can decide for themselve on the track record of Apple and frivolous law suit on IP.”
They certinly can, and most would probably agree that Apple has been within its rights all along.
M$ stole code from Apple? Did Apple stole from Xerox?
It is useless argument.
The facts are well stated at:
http://www.wired.com/news/print/0,1294,21423,00.html
People can decide for themselves. That’s all. Do not fear info fear blind allegiance to a company and the BS train that pushes propagande.
I agree with IP so long as it is not rediculous claims, hence Apple, Amazon and other crappy claims, I and many legal experts find frivolous. Live with it!
“Just leave the Apple related news to slashdot and save yourself some time by not posting this kind of stuff which isn’t appreaciated by the majority of people here.”
I disagree. She should continue to post Apple news. We can’t let the trolls take media attention from the great things that Apple is doing.
On the same token, Apple should be called out if they are doing something that is not in the best interest of its users. I do think that Eugenia gives to news which could easily be misinterpreted… such as this.
“M$ stole code from Apple? Did Apple stole from Xerox?”
Apple bought code from Xerox. Microsoft stoll code from Apple
“It is useless argument.”
Especially when people misinterpret the facts:
I suggest you read this:
http://www.mackido.com/Interface/ui_history.html
“People can decide for themselves. That’s all.”
Everyone in the know would agree. Apple did not steal code from Xerox and Microsoft stole from Apple.
“I agree with IP so long as it is not rediculous claims, hence Apple, Amazon and other crappy claims”
What about Apple’s claim was rediculous?
“I and many legal experts find frivolous. Live with it!”
Wow, I’ve going to have to live with the fact that a Troll disagrees with me”
As for the patent, sure, it seems desperate. But a climate has been created and nurtured by the patent office which neccessitates this legal behavior.
Yup. Unfortunately, because of the current environment created by patent laws and litigious companies, companies are forced to patent anything and everything they think could be remotely patentable. Otherwise, their competition will do so and then sue the original creator for patent infringement (this is their “competitive advantage”).
In fact, at the company I work for, the only thing keeping them from filing more patents is the money it costs to retain the patent attorneys.
Nonsense! Eugenia is diong a service to the community. As a person that uses multiple OS I appreciate the site and what Eugenia does. I don’t buy your Apple is good and Eugenia is bad implications.
Eugenia keep up the good work!
BTW the topic should be Apple ridicolous patents not your personal judgements of Eugenia.
“In fact, at the company I work for, the only thing keeping them from filing more patents is the money it costs to retain the patent attorneys. ”
I hear ya. It is just sad that such is the current environment for IP in technology.
I’m sick every time something about Apple is posted here and a real discussion is never allowed because windows users feel the need to berate the apple viewer, she is wasting her time…i don’t mean it to be negative towards Eugenia, i just feel her time is better spent posting nothing instead.
i do agree with you but nothing can be done i suppose since there are many windows users. But i don’t think they realise that some people went from windows to Apple because they felt its the better platform, i don’t understand why they spend so much time discussing about when they don’t use it or never will judging by their actions and opinions.
e: Apple news…vicious attacks against Eugenia
By anonymous (IP: 209.11.79.—) – Posted on 2003-07-11 21:27:01
Nonsense! Eugenia is diong a service to the community. As a person that uses multiple OS I appreciate the site and what Eugenia does. I don’t buy your Apple is good and Eugenia is bad implications.
Eugenia keep up the good work!
BTW the topic should be Apple ridicolous patents not your personal judgements of Eugenia.
You’ve misinterpreted me…and i never said Apple is good and Eugenia is bad…read my more recent comment.
“The Newton came WAY before anything like Palm came along. It was far ahead of its time…there was not yet any demand/no market for such a device…hence it failed…though I have a fully functional Newton on my desk right now. ”
That’s bullshit, and remind me the overall Apple attitude with the likes of Mouses, GUI, etc. They first steal/copy the idea from someone. Claim they are innovative. Then whine when an other company copy again what they copied themselve.
That said, never heard of Psion ? The British real inventor of the PDA and portable computer concept ?
—“By The Pessimist (IP: 12.110.83.—) – Posted on 2003-07-11 21:38:25
That’s bullshit, and remind me the overall Apple attitude with the likes of Mouses, GUI, etc. They first steal/copy the idea from someone. Claim they are innovative. Then whine when an other company copy again what they copied themselve.
That said, never heard of Psion ? The British real inventor of the PDA and portable computer concept ? “—
I do, in fact I use the Psion Revo, had a Psion 3c and others. This is why I don’t buy the Maczealots propaganda that Applae invented everything. So I agree with you here.
Ha, ha, ha, ha!!!
Legal expert?! Funny one.
Apple did not attempt to patent the iMac design because it’s not legally possible, legal expert.
They sued someone who was making their entire strategy on copying each new Mac model. Suing sucha company that sold notoriously cheap and crappy products is 100% good business.
They won–eMachines (and other knockoffs) ceased producing their designs.
There was no claim by Apple to ownership of an all-in-one. (You mention the profile, and others.) Did you forget the Mac Classic? Mac Classic II? etc? And again, it wasn’t an IP or patent claim, it was a trade dress claim which was 100% valid–same color and style plastics, same form factor, same unique curves. As Apple updated its models, the copycats did the same.
And what about this Register story says anything informative about this new patent? Because the Reg pursues a retarded thesis, we all have to believe them? Whatever…. This isn’t a patent for multiple logins or fast user switching. It is about multiple configs like Location Manager which they already patented years ago… we’re was your crying @ss then?
And what we clearly do not know is the specific technologies underlying this patent claim… Has Apple begun suing all vendors of a multi-user OSes? No. Then shut the F up then.
“remind me the overall Apple attitude with the likes of Mouses, GUI, etc. They first steal/copy the idea from someone.”
They didn;t copy or steal. They purchased.
“Claim they are innovative.”
They did innovate.
The products at Xerox parc were hardly ship worthy. For the most part, Xerox had little more than a window inviornment that displayed icons on it. You couldn’t even resize the windows manually. You had to enter XY values to resize it.
Read this: http://www.mackido.com/Interface/ui_history.html
“Then whine when an other company copy again what they copied themselve.”
but Apple didn’t copy. They bought concepts and small snippets of code. others copied and stole.
“That said, never heard of Psion ? The British real inventor of the PDA and portable computer concept ?”
Yes, they invented the PDA. Apple was first to market in the US.
“I do, in fact I use the Psion Revo, had a Psion 3c and others. This is why I don’t buy the Maczealots propaganda that Applae invented everything. So I agree with you here.”
Who said that Apple invented everyting?
if you don’t think this machine looks like an iMac rip-off, you’ve got issues beyond any of the phantom “mac zealots” stalking you…
http://www.reviewsonline.com/images/pcx99/pcx99072a.jpg
http://homepage.mac.com/macinsteins/images/imac.gif
I think you are still sore that she didn’t buy your crying baby routine today, eh?
Anyway lets get back to topic. Stop your off topic posting!
Apple may or may not be trying to patent a fast one, in all fairness we don’t know yet. What we do know is that they have try to so in the past. So is it sleazy Apple as usual, time will tell. I hope the do reform.
The news source is here : http://www.wired.com/news/print/0,1294,21423,00.html
“if you don’t think this machine looks like an iMac rip-off, you’ve got issues beyond any of the phantom “mac zealots” stalking you… ”
Actually the eMachines processor, mobo, etc was different. In fact superior. It was compatible with far more peripherials than an Apple, and it had a far wider selection of Apps available. Apple was the inferior product. So they were maybe doing Apple a favor, don’t you think?
Many people didn’t buy Macs because: a) they are too expensives and b) the sw and hw[peripherials] selection is too limited. So maybe someone could have bough an imac confusiing with an Emachine. Glass is half full, half empty you know.
It’s the iWallet!! A virtual PDA wallet that allows the user to specify which set of personal information the user wants to present to applications running on the PDA and to other devices (or websites presumably).
To bad that name is already taken. Other options: iD, iAm, iPretendToBe
“Anyway lets get back to topic. Stop your off topic posting!”
Us?! We’re correcting you. You’re the one pulling this thread off topic. Stop it!
” Apple may or may not be trying to patent a fast one, in all fairness we don’t know yet.”
In fairness, we should give them the benefit of the doubt. Apple has done very little for us to think otherwise.
“What we do know is that they have try to so in the past.”
Its comments like these that are pulling us off topic. They havn’t done anything considerable to cause us to think that they are patenting something maliciously.
“So is it sleazy Apple as usual, time will tell. I hope the do reform.”
As usual? What did they do in the past that should cause us to think that they might try something again?
…and this does nothing to convince us.
“Apple may or may not be trying to patent a fast one, in all fairness we don’t know yet. What we do know is that they have try to so in the past. So is it sleazy Apple as usual, time will tell. I hope the do reform.”
What the hell are you talking about? Apple has tons of IP. What fast one have they pulled? The case you keep citing doesn’t involve patents or even trademarks or copyrights, ummm, “legal expert.” The only cases involving patents or copyrights that I can remember were against MS… and in those cases, they either lost (because of MS’s legal and $$$ might) or settled. So what fast one have they pulled?
Most of their IP is either rather unique or a very specific technological implementation. They have not used IP as a weapon or revenue-generator. If they have tried to defend their IP, they have had mixed results….
So what’s so sleazy? Besides you!!!
“Actually the eMachines processor, mobo, etc was different.”
Yes. Noticed that Apple didn;t sue about that. They sued over tradedress.
“In fact superior.”
Many think otherwise.
“It was compatible with far more peripherials than an Apple, and it had a far wider selection of Apps available.”
That does not give them the right to steal Apple’s tradedress.
“Apple was the inferior product.”
Many don’t think so. As a matter of fact, Most seem to not think so, as the iMac is the number one selling computer of all time.
“So they were maybe doing Apple a favor, don’t you think?”
Absolutely not.
“Many people didn’t buy Macs because: a) they are too expensives”
But they are not too expensive. They are either slightly more expensive, the same price, slightly less expensive or significantly less expensive than a PC with the exact same configuration (or as close as possible) to both the Mac’s hardware and software
“and b) the sw and hw[peripherials] selection is too limited.”
Thats not a factor so much anymore not that everything is moving towards USB, USB2, FireWire, and FireWire800.
“So maybe someone could have bough an imac confusiing with an Emachine.”
Possible but for less likely
Ignoring your childish innsults, what Apple did is clearly stated here:
http://www.wired.com/news/print/0,1294,21423,00.html
Why do you fear information? Let people decide, that’s what we have forums for. Not to insult people, but to dialoque, which you obviously refuse to do by taking the low slimy road of insults. Too bad, it reflects on you. I hope you too can reform.
“”In fact superior.” Considering OS and HW.
Many think otherwise. ”
Although many may think otherwise, MAJORITY believes and shows it to BE SO. Live with it!
“Why do you fear information?”
We don’t. Why do you fear facts?
“Let people decide, that’s what we have forums for.”
An american Penny is copper. Whether or not people decide one way or another, it doesn’t change the fact that an American penny is made of copper. The same is true for the arguments you’ve presented. No amount of debating or allowing others to decide will change that.
“Not to insult people, but to dialoque, which you obviously refuse to do by taking the low slimy road of insults.”
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and sounds like a duck, its a duck. Now, swap duck for troll. They speak the truth.
hey mistik whatever, if you are trying to be annoying, you’ve succeeded.
now go home.
“Although many may think otherwise, MAJORITY believes and shows it to BE SO. Live with it!”
The iMac was the number one selling computer of all time. The MAJORITY has spoken. Live with it!
“now go home.”
Pahleaze!
It seems like this whole thread should be modded down.
Seriously, as computer patents go, Apple’s is par for the course. There have been many worse, such as Compton’s absurd attempt to patent all multimedia in ’93 (which was overturned)
Its all about choice, isn’t it?
I remember when Sears and similar retailers use to sell Apples…not anymore. There is a reason for this. People decided every day to be something other than a Mac. Its a fact. Why deny the facts?
Apples ARE too expensive for what you get and how they perform. But still a small minority, usually who need an *easier* computing experience will buy them. No problem with that, there is a market there. Now, no sense in implying that Macs are better, they are not from the consumer point of view, see market share and actual sales and to think that Apple is some heavenly company, implies a cultist mentality, which we have seeing enough of around here.
” People decided every day to be something other than a Mac. Its a fact. Why deny the facts? ”
LOL.
But is not going to happen, until the userbase grow out of the flower power phase.
Btw the original post was about patents. Track records show Apple’s behavior on this regard.
Source: http://www.wired.com/news/print/0,1294,21423,00.html
PS if you don’t like the post, just don’t read them, no body is forcing. I bet you didn’t know you had a choice, is not like a 1-button mouse, you can actually skip a message. Reflect on it, it can give you that Eureka moment that is missing from your life.
The iMac was the number one selling computer of all time. The MAJORITY has spoken.
Um, I don’t really want to add fuel to the fire… It might be true, but it doesn’t change the fact that Apple have a low market share even if they had one successful product, so IMO it’s hardly a majority. Of course, that’s my opinion, and I don’t think it matters who outsold who…
..that people everyday decided to be something other than a mac?
Is there a strange fantasy in your head where people transform thethemselves into different machines?
That Apple’s track record is clearly expressed here:
http://www.wired.com/news/print/0,1294,21423,00.html
“Btw the original post was about patents. Track records show Apple’s behavior on this regard.”
Yes, the original post was about patents.
The link you keep posting is not about patents.
“Track record”? You haven’t shown one example of Apple using patents in an unfair way. Track record looks good to me, from the argument you’re putting up.
Do you know how to read? Then why do you keep repeating yourself and pointing to an article that has nothing to do with the point you are attempting to make but are failing miserably at?
Hmmm?
If you don’t understand, I have no option but to suggest that you read the following article:
http://www.wired.com/news/print/0,1294,21423,00.html
You obviously haven’t. Otherwise you would understand Apple’s track record on patent and IP claims.
“I remember when Sears and similar retailers use to sell Apples…not anymore. There is a reason for this. People decided every day to be something other than a Mac. Its a fact. Why deny the facts?”
Nobody is denying the fact that Sears couldn’t sells Macs but it wasn’t because consumers simply didn;t want them. it was because the people at Sears refused to keep the Mac running properly.
I remember those days. The Hard drive now renamed “7&(*^(*()&%” had 20 system folders, and had misc files scattered around the desktop. If not that, the computer was frozen or had a sad mac icon. Sears, was the absolute WORST for maintaining their Macs… so Apple pulled their product as it was doing nothng more than harming their reputation.
“Apples ARE too expensive for what you get and how they perform.”
If that’s the case, then so are PCs because Macs are either only slightly more expensive, the same price, slightly less expensive or significantly less expensive when comparing both hardware and software to a PC configured with the exact same compenents (or as close as possible)
“usually who need an *easier* computing experience will buy them.”
Thats only one market of Apple’s Another is the demographic that want fewer crashes and less trouble maintaining their systems.
“Now, no sense in implying that Macs are better”
they are in many ways.
“”they are not from the consumer point of view”
Many would disagree.
“see market share and actual sales and to think that Apple is some heavenly company”
market share has no bearing on whether or not a computer is suitable for consumer (or any market) use.
“But is not going to happen, until the userbase grow out of the flower power phase.”
What’s that?
“Btw the original post was about patents. Track records show Apple’s behavior on this regard.
Source: ” rel=”nofollow”>http://www.wired.com/news/print/0,1294,21423,00.html”
yes, it shows that Apple is willing to fight for what is/was rightfully theirs.
“PS if you don’t like the post, just don’t read them, no body is forcing.”
But your posts spread FUD. Somebody might actually believe you.
“I bet you didn’t know you had a choice, is not like a 1-button mouse”
I have a choice whether or not i use a 1 button mouse or not. As a matter of fact, it is you that don’t have the choice. You can’t use a 1 button mouse.
“Um, I don’t really want to add fuel to the fire… It might be true, but it doesn’t change the fact that Apple have a low market share even if they had one successful product”
His comment was that the majority didn;t like the imac. I was proving that not to be true.
“Nobody is denying the fact that Sears couldn’t sells Macs “but it wasn’t because consumers simply didn;t want them. it was because the people at Sears refused to keep the Mac running properly. ”
LOL.
Sears fault, right…Eveyrbody is wrong but Apple. heh. More kool-aid.
Apples are not selling in many, many places, becuase they failed at grabing a major sector of the computing industry. Its a fact. Are you claiming now, on top of every other propaganda, that Apple have a bigger Market share than PC? That most user use Apple? Ridiculous. But typical of you I must say.
“If you don’t understand, I have no option but to suggest that you read the following article:”
What does this article say that you think we’re not understanding?
the title of your post says that Apple is acting “infair”ly. The article you are references doesn;t suggest that Apple had acted unfoirly (or infairly)
” LOL.
Sears fault, right…Eveyrbody is wrong but Apple. heh. More kool-aid. “
How is it that everybody else was selling mac in faily large quantities as compared to Sears. the reason was that they never kept up their machines.
Ask any Mac user who remember’s that era and they will agree with me. (BTW, your koolaid comments make you sound even more like a troll)
“Apples are not selling in many, many places, becuase they failed at grabing a major sector of the computing industry.”
Apple is currently hand picking which stores are allowed to sell Macs because they don;t want to let the same experience that happened with sears happen again.
“Its a fact. Are you claiming now, on top of every other propaganda, that Apple have a bigger Market share than PC?”
What propaganda?
What in my statement suggested that Apple has a bigger market share?
“That most user use Apple?”
Who said that?
[i]”Ridiculous. But typical of you I must say.”,/i>
not at all.
His comment was that the majority didn;t like the imac. I was proving that not to be true.
Hmm, maybe. Sorry, I’m getting lost in all the “comments”. I personally didn’t liked the iMac ’cause it sucked royally for someone like me, but I must admit that many people prefered it to white boxes (and I understand them!).
We certainly do see that, but we see it just as much in people who act is if they are on a divine mission to enlighten those poor, misguided Macintosh users, who obviously made their choices because they “like eye candy,” “need an easier computing experience,” etc. And, of course, we can’t forget that apparently “better” is an absolutely objective term which can be determined by market share. (By logical extension, McDonald’s makes better burgers than anyone else, the Honda Accord is a better car than a Lexus, and VHS is a better format than DVD–at least until DVD sales surpass VHS, at which point presumably DVD will retroactively become the better format.)
As for why Eugenia posted this, I think the fact that this already has over 70 comments is your answer. The headline–which admittedly she took directly from the Register, which is always entertaining but entertaining largely for their histrionics–is in fact the Register’s opinion about what the patent could cover, even though they admit the patent’s title is in fact about mobile devices and for the most part covers separate “personalities” on such a device, closer in effect to Apple’s location manager (or perhaps even the Pine email client’s concept of “roles”).
This article, much like Slate’s “Flipping the Switch” article (the one about Linux surpassing the Mac on the desktop), is about encouraging platform conflict in an effort to bring readers to a site. And it surely works. OSNews is publishing–or often just aggregating–inflammatory opinions and providing comment forums for people to whack at each other; their hits go through the roof.
Is it fair to complain about this? I don’t know. I’ll readily admit I’m not running a news site, so I’m not going to say that tactics to drive up hits are necessarily bad. But I wonder if they don’t reduce the site’s utility over time.
I will agree with Mistik on one point, though: it is all about choice. Perhaps some day people like him will consider that I made my choice in an informed fashion, rather than using the logic of “he did not make my choice, therefore he is an idiot.”
Sears fault, right…Eveyrbody is wrong but Apple. heh. More kool-aid.
Nope, I was there too. This is also one of the reasons Apple is opening their own stores, because many people don’t understand their product well enough to maintain it for a buying audience.
(would someone explain the kool-aid thing to me? I can’t find a source for it)
You know those nifty panels in KDE and GNOME that have buttons with arrows on them that let you hide and show the panel at will?
IBM holds this patent:
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect2=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&p…
Good thing IBM is on Linux’s side. Willing to bet on that going on forever?
There’s lots more UI patents out there of this ilk owned by Apple, MS, IBM, and SUN among others. Best hope none of them get pushed to close to the edge. Who knows what they might do (and who they might be willing to sue/threaten).
My mac has 7 mouse buttons and a scroll wheel, its the Logitech MX700, its cordless and wireless.
Oh yeah…i choose my own browser as well.
Whats this about choice?
Mistik jogelour obviously wants to be left alone to post in isolation with links to random Wired articles.
I say if you type something once and then someone counters that, you should then re-post your thoughts but adding the simple grade school “infinity” clause. Which “legal experts” agree will make your statement true forever regardless of what others might say. It’s the only real mature thing to do.
Anyway, who cares? Apple does what all other businesses do – protect their interests where they can. An ounce of prevention can save from the nonsense like what has befallen a certain other OS at the moment.
My, my, my. I read an article about a patent that may have some interesting implications. Then I read all of the comments that have to do with trashing everyone and everything, except the patent.
It is a curious thing to me that a company that has essentially no serious share in the market of computing can bring out so much vitriol from so many people. Can Apple be so good that they represent a serious threat to the computing majority? Balderdash! Maybe there are too many folks who think that the rest of the world should think and do as they do (Mac, Wintel, Unix, Linux, etc). And if someone doesn’t they are obviously stupid, troll, rich, and any other derogatory connotation the words might bring up.
What a shame to waste perfectly good space on such nonsense. We all should be ashamed of ourselves.
I feel Ronald that your post will be lost in the pile of crappy trashy comments, yours will be overlooked sadly.
“(would someone explain the kool-aid thing to me? I can’t find a source for it)”
it stems from a cultist (I can’t remember his name) who got everyone to drink koolaid that poison in it. He told them that they need to die as part of the religion, and all the mindless sheep cult followers actually drank it and died.
By saying that we’re drinking the koolaid, he’s saying that we’re all mindless followers willing to do something incredibly stupid for our religion which supposedly is Apple.
[roll eyes]
ROFL. I hate those things. The slidey toolbars on Internet Explorer. I’m so glad they provided an option to lock them down.
Anyways, MS patented them:
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p…
I could go on and on. Maybe I will. Maybe I should put up a site of these. Hmmmm.
My mac has 7 mouse buttons and a scroll wheel, its the Logitech MX700, its cordless and wireless.
I love that mouse! I have the thumb button set to open my garage door.
—
But seriously, yeah, that one mouse thing makes sense to new users, and anyone with a few bucks can just get the one they want. People do this for lots of everyday consumer products and think nothing of it. The company has a standard way of shipping something becasue of a philosophy (ease of use), and if you don’t like it, you by accessories and make it the way you want. Apple has very good built-in support for a vast amount of USB devices.
“Is it fair to complain about this? I don’t know. I’ll readily admit I’m not running a news site, so I’m not going to say that tactics to drive up hits are necessarily bad. But I wonder if they don’t reduce the site’s utility over time.”
I used to visit here and actually enjoy it – I’m done now – this is simply the last thread I will ever post to. If the site needs to pull more “eyeballs” then fine. But getting hit stats by attracting 1337 14 year olds is not the best way to go about this. I doubt I’ll even be reading much in the way of news here any longer – this site has taken a huge nosedive.
“would someone explain the kool-aid thing to me? I can’t find a source for it”
Its a reference to Jim Jones and the poisonous kool-aid he favored.
it stems from a cultist (I can’t remember his name) who got everyone to drink koolaid that poison in it. He told them that they need to die as part of the religion, and all the mindless sheep cult followers actually drank it and died.
It was James Warren Jones in 1978. The ~900 followers drank kool-aid with cyanide in it. Those who didn’t died from the mixture were executed.
Not fair, you were faster.