#Xerox Sues Apple!
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XEROX SUES APPLE FOR $150 MILLION
(Dec. 15)
Xerox Corp. has filed a $150 million federal lawsuit in San Francisco against
Apple Computer Inc., alleging that Xerox graphics programs from the mid- 1970s
and early 1980s were copied for the Apple Macintosh computer line and for
Apple's earlier, less-successful Lisa system.
The suit contends both the Mac and the Lisa were derived from two Xerox
programs, the 1970s Smalltalk and Star, copyrighted in 1981.
…..
The complaint also alleges Apple employees saw the Star program at a trade
show in Houston in June 1981 and copied substantial portions in the Lisa and
Mac software, allegedly including design and appearance of the main application
windows, dialog boxes and menu and some of the icons used in the program.
Xerox claims Apple gained unauthorized access to copyrighted material by
hiring several Xerox employees in the late 1970s and early 1980s, including
Star software developers.
….
For more of this story, GO OLT-155!
PS: hmmmm. If Xerox wins, then would that by default mean all windowing systems
loosely based on Xerox or Mac stuff is in trouble? Something to think about!
PS: also GO APV-3051 and APV-2542 for similar stories with some more tidbits of
info by the Associated Press.
Also GO NEWSGRID, and search on key of "Xerox" for another version.
Apparently Xerox wants a jury trial, and sole ownership of any material common
to its products and Apple's… and that royalties paid to Apple in the amount
of $100 million belong to Xerox instead!
More info from later articles:
Xerox is not suing for copyright infringement, but for copyright
misrepresentation. They claim that Apple has been using portions of the Star
graphic interface without a license, and that Apple has "unjustly received
royalties, license fees, and other benefits in excess of $100 million that
properly belong to Xerox".
They charge unfair competition, unfair business practices, and that Apple
"intentionally and purposefully concealed" that its Lisa and Macintosh software
was derived from Xerox software. They want Apple's copyrights for Lisa and
Macintosh software revoked.
Xerox copyrighted the Star software in 1981. Apple copyrighted Lisa and Mac
2-3 years later. Asked why the delay filing a suit, Xerox said "There are a
number of reasons including recent clarifications and changes in the copyright
laws. And there have been changes in our licenses. We are aggressively offering
licenses for the look and feel of our interface."
"More and more companies are adopting our interface. We object to Apple's
assertions that it is the owner".
Xerox tried to talk with Apple officers in order to settle this dispute out
of court but broke off the talks when no progress was apparent. Apple says the
suit is without merit: "The Xerox complaint seems to confuse ideas rather than
expression. Copyrights protect expressions, not ideas".
Its about time someone sued Apple. I'm tired of everyone being sued
BY Apple. By the way, the suit (according to your quotes) alleges that
Apple DIRECTLY COPIED code, there is no look-and-feel issue mentioned. That
would seem to me to imply that it would not affect other windows programs.
Actually, after reading the article on the AP wire, it does look like a
look-and-feel lawsuit a'la Apple suing people over the appearance of the
trashcan icon and the like.
Did Apple, Microsoft, and HP settle their suit? If so that'd be too bad,
because then we could be treated to the spectacle of two sets of Apple
lawyers arguing opposite sides of the same issue for the same client.