CompuServe Messages

You know what? You're out of your mind. Protocols, ARexx command names and/or sequences, keystroke sequences, window appearances, baud rates, features, each and every one are totally fair game for developers to add in, enhance, de-enhance or ignore, elaborate upon, and et-bloody-cetera. What do you think these look-and-feel suits are over? DOn't you *know* that if the attitude that promotes that closed-minded twerpism is allowed to flourish, most of the software that is out there today will dissapear off the market, like instantly? When "SkyPix" was invented, did that fellow run over to the people who do the VidTex stuff and ask them if he could use their idea? Did he run off to the networks and ask them if he could use the concept of a message base? Did he ask CIS if it was ok to keep libraries of files? Should Black Belt, as the originator of various techniques as per utilizing ARexx, including the *very first Telecomm program to support ARexx* climb all over this person because they are using ARexx in conjunction with telecomm? Sheesh! If they guy stole your _code_, well, that's one thing. Your ideas, unless protected by (a) software and/or hardware patents, or (b) some other solid legal technique, are totally fair game. If I started whining about every idea I've had that another developer looked at, and implemented because it was good, or those that were co-invented (and let me point out that I have NO way of telling which, and neither do YOU) anyway, I'd spend all my time whining. Instead of complaining about the presence of features in another product, you'd be FAR better off pointing at it and saying "See? It's so good they emulate it, and they SUPPORT OUR PROTOCOL". Sometimes I just get so annoyed. :^) BBS->Williams.Ben[AA7AS]